Love in Action 

God on Monday
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“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ (Matthew 22.36-39) 

Reflection 

This passage from Matthew’s gospel encourages us to love God with all our capacities and to love other people as much as we love ourselves. It implies, in fact, that true love for God is reflected in our love for others.

Corrie Ten Boom (1892-1983) was a Dutch Christian who helped many Jews escape from the Nazis during World War II. With her parents and siblings, she hid them in a secret room in their home until they could find safe passage out of the country. She also distributed anti-Nazi literature and helped other resistance workers. But in 1944, she and her family were betrayed by an informant and were arrested by the Gestapo. They were sent to concentration camps, where most of them died. By God’s grace, Corrie survived the horrors and was released, due to an administrative error. She then dedicated her life to spreading God’s love and forgiveness around the world.

Corrie embraced these verses from Matthew’s gospel wholeheartedly and displayed her love for God by risking her own life for the sake of other people. This remarkable woman became the epitome of love in action. With great courage and sacrifice, she treated others - including her captors - with kindness, compassion, forgiveness, and respect. 

Jesus’ words, reflected in Corrie’s life, remind us that the word ’love’ is both a noun and a verb. Love is not just about feeling; it is also about action.

We must let the love we hold in our hearts break out like a stream of living water. As new streams transform arid environments, there is no sphere in which you operate – including your workplace – that is too spiritually parched for that love to make a difference.

Response

• In what ways are we following the greatest commandment – to love God with all our being?
• How are we portraying God’s love in our everyday lives? 
• Are there any areas of our lives that we need to lay down for our neighbour?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, help us to keep your commandments. Rekindle our zeal for you and for your word. May we manifest your glory in our daily lives by showing love, kindness, and compassion to all those we encounter this week. In Jesus name, Amen.

Next Steps

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God on Monday is produced in partnership with the Church of England. The reflections are based on the scriptural readings designated for the next Sunday in the Church's lectionary. You can sign up to Faith in Business here to receive each God on Monday instalment.  
   

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