“Jesus answered, ‘The most important [commandment] is, “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” The second is this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.'” (Mark 12:29-31 ESV)

There have been many writings on these verses, which Jesus quoted from Numbers and Deuteronomy. Most Christians are familiar with the verses, even if they cannot quote them exactly. We know that we are supposed to love God and love others. It is simple yet difficult–actually impossible– for us to do alone without help from God.

Today I want to look at another aspect of these commandments, something that I think is easy to get mixed up. The second commandment cannot replace the first, and following the second does not mean you are following the first.

Now, loving people is one way that we show our love for God. Humans are his special creation made in His image, and so when we treat them badly, we are showing disrespect for what God loves and has created. So of course we care about people. Jesus said it was the second most important commandment. Jesus also says that as you do to the least of these, it is like doing it to him. So often throughout history (including today), Christians can get pious and proud of their religion, but not care for those around them. Jesus clearly condemns this multiple times throughout scripture.

But the other trap that is all to easy to fall into is to sacrifice loving God in the name of loving people. If you’re a billionaire who feeds millions of starving people around the world, yet reject Jesus as your Savior, you have not followed the first commandment. If you help at every charity event and have people over for lunch every Sunday and truly care about those around you, but you neglect to pray, immerse yourself in the Bible and spend time with God, then you have not followed the first commandment. And if you are a caring father, mother, husband, or wife who sacrifices every day for your spouse and children, and yet you do it just for them, and not for the one who made them and gave them to you, then you have neglected the first commandment.

Of course, that’s not to say we shouldn’t be doing these things. As Jesus told the Pharisees on a different issue, “These you should have done without neglecting the latter.” But sometimes we assume that just because we love what God has made that we love Him.

We are made in God’s image, which means that we are a small representation of God. (That’s a very short and vague description; being made in God’s image is a discussion for another day). But I believe that how we love is similar to God, because that is one way He has made us like himself.

When my husband tells me that he loves to read my writing, that my cooking tastes really good, and that he appreciates the little tasks I do so he doesn’t have to, I feel loved. However, what if that was all he loved? Someone could love my writing, my cooking, my multitasking, my music skills, my knowledge, and my talents, without truly loving me. In the same way, we can love God’s people, His creation, and His mighty acts without truly loving Him.

That can be a scary thought.

God commands our complete devotion, not partial, and not just to the things He loves (such as humans, His creation). So how do we show Him this complete devotion that He deserves? God made us in His image so can we learn to relate to God when we relate to other people, and we better relate to people when we grow closer to God.

We love God when we spend time with Him. Bible reading, prayer, and meditation are the ways to do this. Spending time talking to and listening to God shows that we love Him and devotes our heart, soul, mind, and strength to Him.

We love God when we do what He commands us. We don’t have to guess what God wants us to do, because He tells us! This is another reason why reading His word and praying are so important. Some of these commandments relate to other people, but some of them tell us better how to relate to God. So don’t take my word for it! Seek out God’s word!

We love God when we take interest in things that please Him. Again, this often involves people, but the main difference is not just picking the people to love that we want to, but to take delight in loving the outcasts that God cares for and loving them in the way that they need and that He commands. This may not be the most comfortable way.

Of course there are many many subcategories of these, but God’s word is the main place to look for these. The thing I wanted to bring to our attention today is to make sure that we are loving God and loving people, that we are loving God by loving people, but that we are not loving people instead of God.

For who are we if we follow some of what He tells us, but neglect the most important thing?

“These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.” (Matthew 23:23b)