“For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement, namely, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” - Galatians 5:14

Recently, I came across this verse from Galatians. The message in this verse is simple, yet profound: Love. Too often I see hatred or misunderstanding between Christians and non-Christians, divisions between those of one race and those of another, arguments between members of differing political parties. So often these clashes cause such high levels of contempt in society that it is difficult to log onto social media or go out in public without witnessing some act where love is not at the center. Love is the place where the world is struggling, and as Christians, it is our duty as brothers and sisters to one another to restore love to a world full of contempt.

Being a Christian is not about the Bible or worship or acts of service. It’s not about being at church every weekend and having a devout prayer life. Yes, many of these and more are included in the typical Christian lifestyle and are important to developing a strong relationship with God, however, sometimes there is too much of a focus on “following the rules” and “being a good Christian.” Too often, the “rules” of Christianity that are pulled from the Bible are used in a hateful way to judge those whose lifestyles or life choices with which we do not agree. Love is lost in the sight of being perceived as “holy”. However, being a Christian is characterized by the shared belief in Christ. Christ gave his life for us on a cross, a death most humiliating and painful, yet it was done out of pure love. It is this love that unites us as one body in Christ. It it only through love that God gave his only son to the world and it is only through love that Christ Jesus was sacrificed on a cross. Only love.

So how is it that with Christ as a perfect example of love, we still fail to love our neighbors?

While the Bible does provide many other rules and regulations that as Christians we should try to live by, such as the Ten Commandments, there is only one that pops up consistently: Love. Love is the sum of all the other laws in the Bible. It is the very first law that needs to be followed. It is not possible to evangelize, pray, or serve without having love. Without love, we are nothing and our acts are nothing. Love must be at the core of all actions and words, no matter the deed or conversation. Love must come first.

It is not enough to love just our family and friends, the neighbors with whom we get along well and see often. We must love radically. We must walk to the door of those neighbors of whom we are unsure, of whom we may have prejudged as being different as ourself. We must embrace these neighbors in the arms of love; we must see them as Christ sees them. We must be radical in the love of our neighbors. The world does not have the time for passive loving.

Today I challenge you: Love your neighbor. Put down your pride and do something kind for a stranger. Forgive. Apologize. Put someone else first today. Love, and love actively. Love is our only law, however, it is so often overlooked. As Christ loved us enough to die on a cross, so also we must love one another.