Pride In Worship

Pride In Worship

One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, "Which commandment is the first of all?" Jesus answered, "The first is, 'Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; 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." Then the scribe said to him, "You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that 'he is one, and besides him there is no other'; and 'to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength,' and 'to love one’s neighbor as oneself,' —this is much more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." After that no one dared to ask him any question. - Mark 12:28-34(NRSV)

Notice especially verse 33

and "to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength", and "to love one’s neighbour as oneself" — this is much more important than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices.

We can go to Church every day, burn incense, tithe, pray constantly, but all is for naught if we do not love God with all our heart and do not love our neighbors. How important it is for us to see Christ's image in our fellow man. If we have no charity for our neighbors, how can we say we love God? This is, of course, one of the most difficult sins to overcome, for oftentimes, our neighbors are not charitable to us. So we must continually ask the Great Advocate, the Holy Spirit, to assist us in loving our neighbor. -- Wcrowe 2008