All Your Heart

Matthew 22:36-40

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

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.

On occasion, I enjoy a cup of steeped black tea. The preparation of Lady Grey, Earl Grey or English Breakfast drink is as enjoyable as sipping the warm liquid. I fill the kettle with water and turn the heat up to almost boiling. Then I pour tea leaves into the sieve in the top of my ceramic teapot, then pour the hot water over, and allow the tea to flavor the water. Without the little screen or sieve, the leaves and stems would fall into the cup. I don’t think anyone wants to drink leaves and stems. 

In Matthew 22, Jesus encourages the people to love God and love people. What does a cup of tea have to do with that?

It’s all about the filter. When one of the 'important' Pharisees in the community asked Jesus what the greatest commandment was, Jesus replied “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind… And…Love your neighbor as yourself.” This command should be applied as a filter for everything I do. Yes—everything. 

Before I speak, act, pray, worship, work, prepare for my day, help my neighbor, go to the grocery store, talk to my spouse, I need to run my thoughts and actions through the sieve of love. Every commandment and law hangs on this—loving God and loving people. And what a joy to know that God loves me back!

To read more about love, go to 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.