Something to take to heart

 Something to take to heart? 

Matthews gospel records someone asking Jesus,

"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 neighbour as yourself.'  

All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments. Matthew 22:36-40.

What Jesus is saying here is nothing new. Jesus is echoing the words from the book of Deuteronomy That states,

"Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  

These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.  

Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."  Deuteronomy 6:5-7.

Anne Frank a young Jewish girl in hiding from the Nazis during world war two wrote,

"Give of yourself, give as much as you can?  And you can always, always give something, even if it is only kindness!  If everyone were to do this and not be as mean with a kindly word, then there would be much more justice and love in the world.  Give and you shall receive, much more than you would have ever thought possible.  Give, give again and again, don't lose courage, keep it up and go on giving!  No one has ever become poor from giving!" Anne Frank.

Sadly in our world today even among some who call themselves Christians, there is a lack of love shown to those around them.

Sadly many Christians particularly here in North America are known for what they are against, or because of their actions are considered judgemental, even bigoted. 

This should not be so. If you consider yourself a Christian, a true follower of Christ Jesus you need to take a look at you life. Take a look at what your words and deeds are doing and ask, “am I truly showing love to those around me, family, friend, and foe alike?

Francis of Assisi wrote a wonderful prayer, all who consider themselves a true follower of Christ Jesus should take to heart and sincerely pray. He wrote,

"Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love,

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

And where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek

to be consoled as to console,

to be understood as to understand,

to be loved, as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive,

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life." 

                                                                        Francis of Assisi 

Please think about it.