“Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”
Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”
Essentials and Non-Essentials - words we hear and read a lot these days. The type of work that are considered essentials are open to serve the basic needs of people while communities are in lockdown. The non-essential jobs are asked to stay home as a measure to flatten the curve of the spread of the virus. I googled the meaning of essential and Lexico powered by Oxford gave me this meaning: Absolutely necessary; extremely important. When I think about my spiritual journey, what are absolutely necessary? What are extremely important? What are the essentials and non-essentials?
First, I want to reflect on the essentials. The same question that was asked by an expert of the law, a Pharisee, to the Lord Jesus in Matthew 22:36-40 is what I personally ask myself as we go through this season of newness from the normal routine and lifetyle we had before the pandemic. What is essential? Which is the most important thing in this life? When I lay down to sleep at night at the end of the day, what part of the day did I think, say and do what's important, the essential? In this time of pause, of being locked inside, I take the opportunity to look inside my heart. As I ponder on the verse Matthew 22:36-40, I ask myself - Why am I doing what I do? For what? Is it really essential? Is it out of my love for God - to love Him with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength? Is it out of love for people, my neighbors, far or near? I read a post on facebook that eloquently said that this pandemic exposed our hearts, how we love or not love. I absolutely agree and as I watch my reaction to situations and people around me, I see all the flaws and sins in my own heart, the things that are not right in the sight of God, those unloving thoughts, words, and deeds. But God, in His mercy and unfailing love forgives and cleanses us from all unrighteousness when we come to Him and confess our sins (1John 1:9). It is His love in us that will empower us to love - loving God and loving people. It is what we absolutely need - absolutely essential.
On the other hand, what are the non-essentials? In 1 John 2:15-17 (ESV) it says: "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life - is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever." When I look back at the past two decades, I feel like life has suddenly turned so fast. I feel the immense acceleration of lifestyle like watching a Nascar race. Life is so hurried. I saw the evolution of cellphones, the rise of technology, making people so connected by just swiping and touching screens. There's always something to chase for, to buy, to achieve, to reach, leaving little space or no space at all to pause and praise and pray to the Giver of this life we breathe. When I reflect on the life of the Lord Jesus Christ when He was on earth, His life was spent not hurriedly but always intentionally resting and pausing and praying and showing love and compassion to those around Him. One of my lockdown reflections is the realization that the things and pride of this world are non-essentials. This is not to say we don't need things but it is when things, the provisions instead of the Provider become the center of my life.
The turn of this new decade was unexpected, unprecedented. Life was suddenly sent back to the basics, the daily essentials we need - food, shelter, simple clothes to wear, the value of time together at home with loved ones. The pause from the perceived normal pursuit provided space to identify the essentials or non-essentials in life. Having to slow down during a lockdown gave an opportunity to look inside our hearts. At the end of the day, I want to daily ask myself - "Did I spend the day to love my God and my neighbors - the truly essentials in this life? It's a choice we make each day.
First, I want to reflect on the essentials. The same question that was asked by an expert of the law, a Pharisee, to the Lord Jesus in Matthew 22:36-40 is what I personally ask myself as we go through this season of newness from the normal routine and lifetyle we had before the pandemic. What is essential? Which is the most important thing in this life? When I lay down to sleep at night at the end of the day, what part of the day did I think, say and do what's important, the essential? In this time of pause, of being locked inside, I take the opportunity to look inside my heart. As I ponder on the verse Matthew 22:36-40, I ask myself - Why am I doing what I do? For what? Is it really essential? Is it out of my love for God - to love Him with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength? Is it out of love for people, my neighbors, far or near? I read a post on facebook that eloquently said that this pandemic exposed our hearts, how we love or not love. I absolutely agree and as I watch my reaction to situations and people around me, I see all the flaws and sins in my own heart, the things that are not right in the sight of God, those unloving thoughts, words, and deeds. But God, in His mercy and unfailing love forgives and cleanses us from all unrighteousness when we come to Him and confess our sins (1John 1:9). It is His love in us that will empower us to love - loving God and loving people. It is what we absolutely need - absolutely essential.
On the other hand, what are the non-essentials? In 1 John 2:15-17 (ESV) it says: "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life - is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever." When I look back at the past two decades, I feel like life has suddenly turned so fast. I feel the immense acceleration of lifestyle like watching a Nascar race. Life is so hurried. I saw the evolution of cellphones, the rise of technology, making people so connected by just swiping and touching screens. There's always something to chase for, to buy, to achieve, to reach, leaving little space or no space at all to pause and praise and pray to the Giver of this life we breathe. When I reflect on the life of the Lord Jesus Christ when He was on earth, His life was spent not hurriedly but always intentionally resting and pausing and praying and showing love and compassion to those around Him. One of my lockdown reflections is the realization that the things and pride of this world are non-essentials. This is not to say we don't need things but it is when things, the provisions instead of the Provider become the center of my life.
The turn of this new decade was unexpected, unprecedented. Life was suddenly sent back to the basics, the daily essentials we need - food, shelter, simple clothes to wear, the value of time together at home with loved ones. The pause from the perceived normal pursuit provided space to identify the essentials or non-essentials in life. Having to slow down during a lockdown gave an opportunity to look inside our hearts. At the end of the day, I want to daily ask myself - "Did I spend the day to love my God and my neighbors - the truly essentials in this life? It's a choice we make each day.
REFLECTION:
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (NIV)
We are loved and He is waiting for us to respond to His love.
Reflecting on the Scripture below, what practical ways can you show love...
1 Corinthians 13:4-13 (NIV)
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
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