And the second is like it

Henri,
I want to thank you for today’s lesson about the great commandment, the call to love God with all of our heart, strength, soul, and mind.

You warn against dividing attention between God and neighbor, suggesting that there is a tendency to focus on the neighbor, while “trying hard not to forget God” (26). Instead, love of neighbor should flow out of love of God. You suggest that only with a single-minded commitment to God and God alone can we identify our neighbor, serve the neighbor (27).

I like this. Really. This seems much more reasonable than that earlier business suggesting that we need to follow the descending way of Jesus, to become poor with the poor. No need follow the second command, to love the neighbor, until I’ve got down the first command, to love God.

I enjoy my quiet times, just me and God, and I can wait until that love of neighbor flows naturally out of love of God. I don’t mind waiting at all. I’ll enjoy spending more time in scripture, more time in prayer, and more time journaling. I won't mind the extra time reading some devotional classics.

I’m so glad you decided to leave behind that earlier material you wrote suggesting that becoming poor with the poor is the way for us to seek and find God (20).

I never really understood why Jesus said that the second commandment, to love the neighbor, is like the first, to love God (Matthew 22:39). They aren’t at all the same, are they?

Thanks again,
Cyndi