Love like it matters!

Read Matthew 22:34-40

Teachers and coaches are sometimes greeted by a student from long ago.  It may be a decade or two or three, but the student or the athlete has something he or she must say.  They are simple words.

You made a difference.  You made a difference in my life.  You will never know how much you meant to me.  You motivated me, challenged, or encouraged me, and…

I finished school.

I never quit.

I served 20 years in the Air Force.

I wrote a book.

I got my doctorate.

I became a missionary.

I became a brain surgeon.

Somehow, God used you—teacher, coach, mentor, servant of God—as a vessel to love another person like it really mattered, because it did.  It did.  It mattered in this lifetime.

These are words of affirmation to teachers and coaches and other mentors.  Sometimes they come with hugs or tears or hugs and tears.

You made a difference.  What powerful words—what emotional words are these?  What powerful words!

The Teachers of the Law were trying to trip up Jesus.  They had tried earlier and failed asking him about paying taxes to Caesar.  “Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s and unto God that which is God’s” sent them away with their heads tucked between their legs.

The Sadducees tried to trick him as well, but they were silenced.

The Pharisees wanted another shot at tripping up this Rabbi whom everyone was so interested in, so they put forth one they considered to be an expert in the law.  So, he asked:

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”  Understand that is a very legitimate question.

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Some of the Pharisees knew this answer as witnessed elsewhere in the Bible, at least the part up to all the law and the prophets hanging on those two commandments.  They didn’t really understand it but they knew it.  Love God with everything that you are and love your neighbor as much as you love yourself.

The religious leaders were about rules.  God is about love and he wants all who call upon his name to be about love.  He wants all who have received the gift of grace through Jesus Christ to call him not only Savior but Lord.

To belong to Jesus is to call him Lord.  You are his.  You are being shaped—your heart is being reformed—in the image and likeness of God’s own heart.  We love God and we love each other.

It’s all about love and relationships.

Some of you still don’t know why I make sure a big deal over Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets.  We don’t do sign-ups.  People have called me and asked what the hours are for our food pantry.  I tell them that we don’t have hours for a food pantry but if you are hungry come see me and we will give you some food.

I have eyes to see small things that make the church transactional.  We must not be transactional.  We are called to be transformational.  We are people of love not stuff.  We connect with people.  We have relationships that matter with people.  Our love matters with people.

We give out more and more food and help with bills and stuff that people need to negotiate this world every year.  It’s more each year.  But the transactional nature of it lessens each year.

Answer me some simple questions.  Please be precise.

How many ears of sweet corn have you eaten in the past 5 years?  If you are allergic to corn, that’s probably an easy answer.

How many oil changes have you done on your vehicles in the last decade?  Yes, those that you paid someone else to do count.

How many cans of popcorn, nuts, cookie dough, Sweetheart Dinner tickets, and rolls of Blue and Gold Sausage have you purchased since the turn of the century?  I know, that’s a long time to keep track of—so go ahead and round up to the nearest hundred in your fundraiser purchases.

How many people, let’s say in your lifetime, outside of your family, do you hold dear to your heart?

The first three questions were probably something that nobody keeps up with, nor should they.  This last question was likely very easy to answer, and names—not numbers—started to pop into your mind.

The first three questions were of a transactional nature.  It’s just stuff that you do or give or take that usually does not have a lifelong impact on you.  This last one was about transformation.  At some point, these people became special to you.

Jesus wants us to have relationships not transactions.  Our relationships are based on our love for God and for each other.

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Transactions come and go.  You might have to keep up with some of them for your taxes, but relationships are what life is about.

Our love for God is first and our love for each other is a very close second.

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Let’s love like it matters, because it does!

Amen!