What is it you value? Money? Power? Approval?
Self-preservation? Security? Status? Pleasure? An easy road? Avoiding pain? If
you are unsure of the answer, pay attention to where you spend the majority of
your energy and time. Also, notice where your thoughts are focused.
Jesus taught us to value one thing above all else: love. Matthew 22: 36-40 shows us this value in His response to a question from the Pharisees:
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
In this response, Jesus presents the values by which He would have us live. He also tells us His values and how He lives. Of course, He demonstrated this value to us when He gave up His life so that we may live. The cross represents this value to us each and every day. What we may easily forget is that He still lives according to these values. Everything He does with us and speaks to us is based on His love for us.
Paul offers us a list of values: “22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and temperance. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23).
Paul’s list begins with, of course, the one Jesus prized most highly. The rest of the list flows out of love, as Jesus taught in His response to that most important question. Consider this: this entire list deals with matters of the heart. Nothing of the worldly realm (meaning those things that are not found within the heart) is mentioned as a value or “fruit” of the Spirit. Why is that?
Jesus teaches us this answer also, in Matthew 6:
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Jesus knows that all worldly things, including such illusions as power and control, security and self-preservation, and status and approval, are subject to the rules of the world. The law of physics called “entropy” tells us that all worldly things tend toward chaos and destruction. Only “treasures” in heaven (and remember, the heart is the kingdom of God within us – where the Holy Spirit resides) are not subject to this law. As Paul says, “against such things there is no law.”
So, with the help of Jesus, may we reject all worldly values and accept His values and live by them: “…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2). May we, with His help, fix our eyes upon Him – and upon His love for us. And may we allow the fruit of His presence within our hearts to direct our course in this life. Amen.
Jesus taught us to value one thing above all else: love. Matthew 22: 36-40 shows us this value in His response to a question from the Pharisees:
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
In this response, Jesus presents the values by which He would have us live. He also tells us His values and how He lives. Of course, He demonstrated this value to us when He gave up His life so that we may live. The cross represents this value to us each and every day. What we may easily forget is that He still lives according to these values. Everything He does with us and speaks to us is based on His love for us.
Paul offers us a list of values: “22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and temperance. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23).
Paul’s list begins with, of course, the one Jesus prized most highly. The rest of the list flows out of love, as Jesus taught in His response to that most important question. Consider this: this entire list deals with matters of the heart. Nothing of the worldly realm (meaning those things that are not found within the heart) is mentioned as a value or “fruit” of the Spirit. Why is that?
Jesus teaches us this answer also, in Matthew 6:
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Jesus knows that all worldly things, including such illusions as power and control, security and self-preservation, and status and approval, are subject to the rules of the world. The law of physics called “entropy” tells us that all worldly things tend toward chaos and destruction. Only “treasures” in heaven (and remember, the heart is the kingdom of God within us – where the Holy Spirit resides) are not subject to this law. As Paul says, “against such things there is no law.”
So, with the help of Jesus, may we reject all worldly values and accept His values and live by them: “…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2). May we, with His help, fix our eyes upon Him – and upon His love for us. And may we allow the fruit of His presence within our hearts to direct our course in this life. Amen.
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