“第一要紧的（诫命）就是说：‘… 爱主你的神 … ’其次就是说：‘要爱人如己。’” - 可 12:29-31

在成长的过程中，我们学会遵守很多常规：要刷牙，过马路时要先向左右望，一定要说诚实话。然而以上那一项是最重要的呢？

有人问了耶稣一个类似的问题：在神的律法众多的命令和规条之中，那一条占榜首呢？耶稣毫不犹豫回答说：“最重要的就是爱神”－ 衪跟着立刻补充说什么是其次重要的：“要爱人如己。”

这里所说的爱是指那一种爱呢？这是关乎神对我们的爱，就是毫无保留的爱 － 全然恩慈、丰丰富富、不附带任何条件的爱。

请你特别留意耶稣怎样说：“要爱人如己。”意思是说，如果我们要毫无保留和丰厚地爱我们的邻舍，我们便需要以同样的爱给我们自己了！神没有创造废物，我们都是按照神的形像被造的；我们是衪的杰作。神创造了我，爱自己不单是对的，衪更要求我去以衪所创造的我为乐呢！

耶稣给我们的做人准则 －“你们愿意人怎样待你们，你们也要怎样待人”（马太福音7:12） － 这是爱人如己这条诫命的另一种说法。在某种程度上，是否懂得爱人，决定于我们能否爱我们自己。

祷告

神啊，你创造我们并让你的爱倾流在我们身上，我们感谢你。求你保守我们不致陷在自私和骄傲中，又帮助我们丰丰富富、毫无保留地去爱人。奉耶稣祈求，阿们。

马可福音 12:28-34

28有一个文士来，听见他们辩论，晓得耶稣回答得好，就问他说：“诫命中哪是第一要紧的呢？”
29耶稣回答说：“第一要紧的就是说：‘以色列啊，你要听，主我们神是独一的主。
30你要尽心、尽性、尽意、尽力爱主你的神。’
31其次就是说：‘要爱人如己。’再没有比这两条诫命更大的了。”
32那文士对耶稣说：“夫子说神是一位，实在不错！除了他以外，再没有别的神。
33并且尽心、尽智、尽力爱他，又爱人如己，就比一切燔祭和各样祭祀好得多。”
34耶稣见他回答得有智慧，就对他说：“你离神的国不远了。”从此以后，没有人敢再问他什么。

Love Your Neighbor As Yourself

“The most important [commandment] . . . is this: ‘. . . Love the Lord your God. . . .’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” - Mark 12:29-31

We learn many rules growing up: Brush your teeth. Look both ways before crossing the street. Always tell the truth. Which of these is most important?

Jesus was asked a similar question: Of the many commands and regulations in the law of God, which one tops the list? Jesus did not hesitate: “Love God above all”—and he quickly added the second: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

And what kind of love does this refer to? In connection with God’s love for us, this is unconditional love—totally gracious, generous, and with no strings attached.

Notice especially that Jesus says, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” This means that if we are to love our neighbors unconditionally and generously, we will need to love ourselves that way too! God doesn’t make junk. We are created in God’s image; we are his masterpieces. It’s not just okay to love myself: God expects me to celebrate the person he created me to be!

The Golden Rule Jesus gave us—“Do to others what you would have them do to you” (Matthew 7:12)—is another way of saying this command to love our neighbor as ourselves. Loving others well depends at least partly on our capacity to love ourselves.

(AM)

Prayer

Thank you, God, for creating us and pouring your love into us. Guard us against selfishness and pride. Help us to love others generously and unconditionally, in Jesus. Amen.