A Love That’s for Everybody

Reverend Leo H. McCrary II

We are to strive to be just as the Father who loves everyone

Today’s devotional reading: Matthew 5:38-48

God is not the author of confusion and dilemma. God’s command is clear and direct, as He directs us to love everybody. Yet, many continue to choose confusion and dilemma by choosing to blatantly disregarding God’s instructions.

There was a lawyer who once stood, believing He knew who his neighbor was, and sarcastically asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus took his question and answered by sharing the Parable of the Good Samaritan. The parable teaches of one who was despised by the Jews, and likely disregarded them in kind, taking time to help a Jew who had been robbed, beaten, and left for dead on the road.

Many have the idea today that they will only love those who love them and despise those who despise them. The lawyer who asked Jesus the question was a Jew who only treated Jews as his neighbors. Yet, through the parable, Jesus showed that only loving those who love you or may be of your nationality is short of what love truly is.

Jesus told the disciples that it’s no big deal to love those who love you, as tax collectors, those believed to be sinful, would do that. The goal for those who follow Christ is to go further than basic understanding as the call of God is far higher. The goal for us is to be true children of the Lord, which is to say we are to be just like Him.