We are repeatedly encouraged throughout scripture to love, love, love. As we know, the great commandment tells us to love the Lord and to love our neighbors. In the verse prior, Paul repeats Jesus’ teaching by telling the Galatians that the law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” In the Ten Commandments, the Lord told the children of Israel to love their neighbor; they weren’t supposed to murder, commit adultery, steal, covet their neighbor’s house, his wife, nor his possessions. Even more, the Lord commanded the children of Israel not to bear false witness against their neighbor.

Why do you believe the Lord gave the children of Israel these commands? Why do you suppose these commands have also been shared with us through the command to love our neighbor as we love ourselves? We, mankind, have a nature to where we seemingly seek to destroy each other. Some would say that we live in a ‘man eat man world’ where only the ‘strongest’ survive. We should understand that God did not create a world for only the ‘strongest’ – He created a world for everybody! What even makes one the “strongest”?

The danger of a world absent of love is a world that becomes filled with jealousy and loathing. A world of jealousy and loathing is a world ready to consume itself. Why does the Lord keep telling us to love one another? Because He did not create us to destroy each other.