Motivation and Execution
“The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:31 NIV
Love – It’s Day 14. What a glorious day! For a dozen sessions, we have examined our true state of self-protection. We found something vitally important. God’s favor (hen) is God’s business. It does not depend on our evaluation of worth. That’s a very good thing since we know we don’t measure up. If we are going to find true joy in this world, then God not only provides the foundation (grace) but also the means (Torah). We may begin this process motivated by gratitude, but we can continue the process only when we realize that the goal is more than gratitude. It is self-fulfillment. We sustain our pursuit of righteousness because it satisfies us.
Great! We are rescued from inner self-hatred. We are set on the path toward satisfaction. We are motivated by our internal pursuit of joy. What else do we need? Ah, we need to know how to make this happen. It’s not enough to be pushed out of the nest. We must be taught how to fly. And for that we are provided with the second great commandment—Love your neighbor as yourself. You see, ultimately we want to achieve the goal of the first great commandment. We want to love God with all our hearts, minds and strength. Why? Because then we will experience His presence and experience true joy. But how do we go about loving God with everything? Do we sequester ourselves from all of life’s distractions? Do we devote ourselves to Torah study? Do we attend services daily? Yeshua cites Leviticus 19:18 in order to provide further direction. We love God with all we have by loving our neighbors in the same way we care for ourselves.
Actually, this isn’t a new thought. The word hen already contains this idea. “Benevolence is an act of grace shown by the rich toward the poor, or at least by an individual with means toward one who has little or no means. . . Therefore, the generous person is tsaddiq, ‘righteous.’ . . . Generally speaking, someone who is gracious to the ‘ani will be happy (Prov. 14:21). But more important is the knowledge that showing grace to the needy honors Yahweh (Prov. 14:31).”[1] Exodus 34:6-7 shows us that YHVH is full of hen; that hen is a central attribute of His character. When we act as He would act, we honor Him and, at the same time, experience what it means to be in His presence. This is the reason that, for example, I consider my efforts to help the distressed community of Ranquitte, Haiti to build a road as one of the more important, and lovely, things I have ever done. Being part of loving these people whom I do not personally know by simply acting with benevolence toward them made me feel the presence of YHVH. Although that happened years ago, the memory of grace continues—and empowers.
Are you a sinner in need of grace? Certainly! Did YHVH show you His benevolence? Of course. Do you want to know Him with deeper intimacy? Ah, then love your neighbor! Show benevolence toward someone in need. Do something for another. And God will show up. Day 14—the day we turn the corner.
Topical Index: hen, grace, love, neighbor, Mark 12:31
[1] D. L. Freedman and J. R. Lundbom, hanan, TDOT, Vol. V, pp. 28-29.
And who is my neighbor? We’re all familiar with Yeshua’s answer- The good Samaritan story. But actually the answer is given already in the very same chapter where the command is: Leviticus 19:34 “…love him (the stranger) as yourself”.
Yeshua also told his disciples that this love among them will be how the world will know they are his disciples. Not what we would think, is it? We think we must speak about it more, be more knowledgeable,have all the answers, in order for people to know we are his. But he said it will happen when we love as he loved us. I envy you, Skip, for your Haiti experience. But it can also be simply saying “I love you” to someone close to us without covering it with humor and sarcasm. It’s so rarely done these days (at least here in Israel).
Roi ! So glad that you are here. See you soon!!
We need to remember that in Ancient Near East understanding, your name was your character. Today, a name is just a bunch of sounds/syllables put together. The idea of names representing character is so important, especially when we consider YHWH’s name. This adds a new understanding of “taking the name of YHWH in vain.” It is more than just using His name as a curse word. It is trampling on His character. Or, put another way, it is acting in a way that misrepresents His character. Today’s “Today’s Word” really brings this point home. How do we feel the presence of YHWH? ACT like Him! When we do that, we honor Him. Then we can understand His chen!
Thank you, Skip for preaching about sin/righteousness! And thank you that it is NOT titled “Sinners in the hand of an angry G-d” or “You’re sunk before you start, so why try”! Or even titled “Once saved, always saved” or “Jesus did it all, so go home”. No, we cannot cut ourselves out of equation, for good or for bad, but neither can we cut our Saviour out. Nope. Its together, all the way, like any good relationship.
How do you get close to someone else? Why, make an effort to love who they love, and be pleased by what they are pleased with. That’s basic romance 101. In fact, if you have no desire to do that, there’s a good chance you don’t even love them. Or want to. “Do you love Me, Peter? Feed my sheep.”
I was thinking yesterday about if I was given the choice of ONLY being able to love another, or have another love me – if I could not have both, then which one would I pick, and why? Yeshua knew the answer to this one when He preached “it is more blessed to give than to receive”. There are more rewards to loving, than being loved. The heart is satisfied better, and life’s desires are more touchable. If I do not NEED, then I am stronger, too. Deals go down better, too, if I am more focused on what I bring to them than what I need from them. It is a stronger negotiating position. Needs are weaknesses; strength is where you say “take it or leave it; you are going to lose more than I if you walk away, and you are going to gain more if you stay”. Irresistible line!
Basic order of operations in the Love Power Company: #1. go to the Source. Get love. #2. Allow love (relationship) to apply to self (let the Source fill your tank). #3. Disseminate love (relate) to all others. When I do #3, I am sending what I got given back home to its Source, and, when I do that, the circuit is complete and the power lines are grounded: fully charged to do it again. I am just a plug on a route. If it stopped with me, it wouldn’t even be able to start. I receive with the full intention of being able to turn around and share. I am only as rich as what I have to give. The widows of Zeraphath and the Mite know: they were richest people in that whole Book! Richer than even Solomon, for sure. They knew the secret of true wealth. This is the wealth of the Kingdom. People who are still citizens of that Other kingdom would not want to migrate to this one. As long as I am focused on What’s In It For Me I don’t want to hear about the blessings that are only gotten by participating in What’s In It For Them. In fact, if you asked someone from the kingdom of Self to sit down and list all the conditions of what they think hell for them would be like, this one would surely top the list. No, the two kingdoms are opposites, and this is the dividing line; the real litmus test, if you will. If I am not plugged into the Love of G-d, I have nothing to give. How do I plug in? Yeshua preached it: “REPENT, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at your hand”. This one is up to me. I have to trade (repent) the poverty of my lack and fracture (focus on Self) before my hand is empty to receive the riches of relationship (The Law of Torah). “Repent and obey” sound like hell on earth to the flesh. I got news for the flesh: its even worse than that. They represent a death knell to the flesh. The two kingdoms are anathema to each other: Self sucks in; Love breathes out.
Skip; What about the “good works of brotherly kindness” performed by Torah denying “believers” as well as unbelievers (for instance new age). it seem’s to me something is missing yet if it is a counter-fit it is often a pretty good one.