the second is like it

Despite our secular government and increasingly secular society, it is still nearly impossible to separate the United States of America from Protestant Christianity. Mind, I don't say to separate from God, because most of us certainly have been, but from the religion of Christianity itself. It is, despite our attempts to believe otherwise, a part ofthe society that founded itself here nearly five hundred years ago. We are the children of the culture of a religion that has been firmly established in mainstream society for more than fifteen hundred years.

The same is true, though for a shorter period of time, of many Islamic countries. To be sure, not all Arabs are Muslim, like not all Americans are Christian, but the influence of that religion on the Arab culture cannot be ignored. It's also true of the Hindus of South Asia, or the animist religions of Africa. People, regardless of their faith, are people. They are human beings created by God, no matter how misguided or wrong we may believe they are.

Asked by a lawyer which of God's commandments was the greatest, Jesus answered, "Love the LORD your God, with all your heart, mind, soul and strength." But, he didn't stop there.

"And the second is like it, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

In the 21st century, the evangelical Church has convinced itself that our purpose, our greatest mission, is fulfilling Jesus's last commandment to go into the world and make disciples of all nations. Have we perhaps missed the point? Last on the list may not mean least, but it certainly also does not mean greatest. We are, without a doubt, mandated by our Savior to reach the lost, but we seem to be putting that mission above all others in our lives.

Like Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13, "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal."

Even the message of the gospel is lost in the sauce when it is not presented from love. We have to remember, though, that love is not a means to an end. We do not love our neighbors so that we can share the message of Christ with them. We love them because God loves them. True, godly love will present opportunities for evangelism.

I think Glenn Packiam said it best at church this past Sunday Night: "You can't love an idea or a concept, like 'the lost' or 'missions.' You can only love the individuals that are right in front of you." If we really want to pursue God's will for our lives beyond our love for Him, we should start with the second greatest commandment, loving our neighbors, loving those who persecute us, like the good Samaritan of Jesus's story, loving without expectations of convincing them of the truth. That, after all, is not our responsibility. That's God's.