Mitzvoth 26
A teaching by Edri
26.
To love all human beings who are of the covenant (Lev. 19:18)
This command seems to be a general command, and perhaps some may consider it trite in our modern world where the word "love" is bandied around in Hollywood, and in our world abroad. In fact, Webster's defines love as..
: Main Entry: 1love
Pronunciation: 'l&v
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English lufu; akin to Old High German
luba love, Old English lEof dear, Latin lubEre, libEre to
please
1 a (1) : strong affection for another arising out of kinship or
personal ties <maternal love for a child> (2) : attraction
based on sexual desire : affection and tenderness felt by lovers (3) :
affection based on admiration, benevolence, or common interests <love
for his old schoolmates> b : an assurance of love <give her
my love>
2 : warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion <love of
the sea>
3 a : the object of attachment, devotion, or admiration
<baseball was his first love> b (1) : a beloved
person :-- often used as a term of endearment (2) British -- used
as an informal term of address
4 a : unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of
another: as (1) : the fatherly concern of YHWH for humankind (2) :
brotherly concern for others b : a person's adoration of YHWH
5 : a YHWH or personification of love
6 : an amorous episode
7 : the sexual embrace
8 : a score of zero (as in tennis)
9 capitalized, Christian Science
- at love : holding one's opponent scoreless in tennis
- in love : inspired by affection
So, what is love? There are many different definitions for love in this dictionary. We see how the world views love and perhaps we can understand their confusion with so many ways to see love, even so much as beating your opponent so bad that he can't score in tennis! But, the question is how do the scriptures teach about "love?"
To understand this, we have to first go to the original scripture for this command...
We find this command in Leviticus/Vayikra 19:18 "....but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am YHWH.. "
To love thy neighbor as thyself. Interesting concept. I wonder if we really ever give any thought to how we love ourselves? Most people , in loving themselves, tend to find the most expedient way to gratify their desires. Whether their desires be, fine food, fancy cars, nice houses, or sexual encounters. Yes, people are VERY good at "loving themselves" in this world. In fact, I think that most people spend their entire lives "loving themselves."
However,
the scriptures teach a different love. This is not a love , as the world
loves, turned inward into ourselves. The scriptures teach of true love, turned
outward, towards others. In Fact, Paul sums this concept up in Philippians
2
3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility
consider others better than yourselves.
Yes, love is that which seeks the betterment of "others," not "ourselves." Just one example is how Paul teaches us how to love our wives. He says in Ephesians 5 28In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. (another words, he is showing "love" himself) 29After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Messiah does the assemblies-- 30for we are members of his body. 31.
John, the apostle that the Messiah "loved" speaks alot on this subject.
1 John 4 7Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from YHWH. Everyone who loves has been born of YHWH and knows YHWH. 8Whoever does not love does not know YHWH, because YHWH is love. 9This is how YHWH showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son[2] into the world that we might live through him. 10
(notice John giving us our example - Messiah, who came into our sin sick world and lived perfectly, taking punishment reserved for sinners like us - He loved us more than Himself! - John 15:13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.)
This is love: not that we loved YHWH, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for[3] our sins. 11Dear friends, since YHWH so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has ever seen YHWH; but if we love one another, YHWH lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
(conversely, if we don't love one another, YHWH cannot live in us!)
13We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given
us of his Spirit. 14And we have seen and testify that the Father has
sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15If anyone acknowledges
that Yahushua is the Son of YHWH, YHWH lives in him and he in YHWH. 16And
so we know and rely on the love YHWH has for us.
YHWH is love. Whoever lives in love lives in YHWH, and YHWH in him. 17In
this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the
day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 18There is no
fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with
punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
19We love because he first loved us. 20If anyone says,
"I love YHWH," yet hates his brother, he is a liar.
(John doesn't mince words, if we do not LOVE our brothers or sisters of the covenant, we are LIARS!)
For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love YHWH, whom he has not seen. 21And he has given us this command: Whoever loves YHWH must also love his brother
If someone "really" loves you, they are looking out for "your" best interests and not their own. And this is how we are commanded to "love."
To know if you are "loving" or not, perform this simple mental check - "Am I coming out better by this, or is _____ so and so coming out better by this? Who is "really" benefiting from how I am speaking and acting towards this other person? If I speak wickedly towards my wife or my husband in order to relieve my anger with them, or assuage my perceived hurts, are "they" benefiting from any of this or am I just being selfish and satisfying a carnal lust for revenge? Is this speaking or acting in "love?"
You see, now that we know what true love really is, we can find out for ourselves if we are truly loving. Love is a direct command. It doesnt matter if we "don't feel like it" or we are not in the right "mood." The simple matter of the fact is that we are commanded to love each other, by seeking the betterment of the OTHER person before ourselves.
If we do not do this, if we are constantly seeking our own betterment, in order to spend it all on our personal lusts, through our entire life, the scriptures are clear - we are nothing but liars in Yahweh's eyes. And the scripture speaks plainly of these - "But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars–their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death." - Revelation 21:8
Therefore, It behooves us to get this "love" thing straightened out in our lives. Because our happiness in this world, our level of spiritual joy, our contentment, and our very eternal destinies are hanging on it! Let us then learn to love each other properly.
As the Native American tune goes "they will know we are Christians by our love, by our love,... " I hope that others can know we are Israel "by our love, by our love..." as well.