Judy Lentz     "Make Love Your Aim”

 Mark 12:28-31 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one”, answered Jesus, “is this: Hear , O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.”

“Make Love Your Aim” is the message written on the billboard at Rock Presbyterian Church (ECO) in Greenwood, SC. The pastor chose these words to place on that billboard to remind us of the Greatest Commandment. In a time of uncertainty in the world, these words offer the ultimate goal according to the laws of Moses. Why do these words represent such a challenging goal? After all, Jesus declared ‘love’ to be our aim when he answered the question – “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

When we watch the daily local or national news, we see example after example of life’s reality where ‘love’ is certainly not the aim. Road rage, child abuse, terrorism are just a few news stories that come to mind. But while these stories are dramatic and guaranteed to grab the attention of the listener, they are polar opposite of what God carved on the tablets held by Moses on the mountain that day nearly 4,000 years ago.

Who is our neighbor? The person who literally lives next door? The person who lives under the bridge? Our coworker? The check-out cashier at the grocery store? Our relatives? The bank robber featured on the local news earlier in the day? I could go on and on but I think you get the picture. God wants us to love everyone – good or bad. If we make love our aim in everything we do, we please God. And isn’t pleasing God our ultimate aim?

Prayer: Dear Lord, help us to make love our aim every day just as Jesus did when he walked on earth so that our behavior is pleasing to you. We know this is our goal and yet we struggle at times when we find ourselves judging others. Forgive our sinfulness and continue to guide us in the loving ways of Christ Jesus. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen