In the Old Testament, the commandments and laws were many. There used to be 613 commandments, Jewish commandments (in Hebrew known as mitzvot). Of these, 248 were positive commandments, whereas 365 were negative.
Moses brought it down to 10. Rather, God gave Moses a far simpler framework for salvation. Often we do not realize the simplifications that God in His mercy gave?
Jesus made it simpler and summed it up to two commandments. Loving God & loving man. Here is the verse specifically. 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets. “ (Verse Matthew 22:36-40)
How do you love your neighbor? This could be a question you may have. Treat them as you want them to treat you. Luke 6:31 has the verse. And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. (Bible version NKJV)
Here is the verse from the AMPC version. And as you would like and desire that men would do to you, do exactly so to them.
We often slip and have various shortcomings in our behaviour with others. We wish that others would overlook it and don’t notice it. Yes, precisely, that’s the same way we are expected to behave towards others.
At any time, have we ever eaten a disproportionately larger piece of a cake without considering that others had to also have a share of the cake just because we just loved it? Did we expect a reprimand from the elders or a great lecture on sharing is caring?
How do we handle the situation when someone else happens to be in the very shoes we were in once? Are we considerate?
When we commit to a time and don’t show up, we want others to be considerate of us and not dress us down. What happens when others don’t show up in time? It is important to remember how we expect others to be considerate to us before we respond.
When we desperately need money, do we desire that others give us a helping hand? When it is someone else who needs money, and we have money to spare, how do we respond to them?
When we make a spelling mistake or a grammatical mistake, do we wish to be informed gently. Are we gracefully responding to others?
When as a child we required the love and attention of an adult, did we desire the love and attention of others, the elders? Now that we are no longer the child, do we lovingly give the time and attention to the little child in our surroundings?
You will never remember as a child how much your loving parents forgave you, tolerated your crankiness, or foolishness. Yet each time, with tender loving care, they lifted you each time. They washed you clean of all the muck and dirt that covered you. The love they had for their child made them overlook everything. They chose to be blind and deaf.
Later in life, when they become older and frail, are you considerate. When their mind fails, when their words fail, do you hold them strong with your loving arm. Do your words increase their strength or make them weak?
When your boss is unkind in his words and actions, how do you respond? Do you consider the stress and anxiety they would be going through and forgive them in love or hold the grudge on them? Do you consider how you would like to be treated when you become a boss?
When someone needs help with their mobile phone? with their computers? Would you be gracious to offer it? Do you consider that some time in future you may require help in some technology gadget which would be used then?
When an elderly person desires to speak to you, do you give them the required time and energy to spend time with them?
We remember that, at one time, we could walk in those shoes. We don’t always get to wear the shoes early enough in all cases. In some cases, we go through situations at a later time. But don’t we have enough common sense to be considerate?
Note: A parent is expected to discipline and bring up the child along the right path. These responsibilities are not being discussed here. When someone discriminates against you and is unfair, you are expected to take a stand and firmly communicate that so that the wrong is corrected. These situations are beyond the scope of this blog post.
