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Gary’s Inspiration Series: Love and Eternal Life
Note: @garyrobbins issued a challenge to match his upgrade of level on Ricochet. While I could not upgrade to meet his challenge, I proposed to meet his challenge in another way. I would provide uplifting spiritual fodder in our mutual Unity tradition to give him a reason to see Ricochet as a place of spiritual, as well as mental, good and growth. Unity has long produced a daily inspirational magazine called Daily Word, and my messages will mostly conform to that format with an affirmation, a short (120 word) message, and a Bible verse.
These messages will come from a Unity perspective. They are not intended to provoke theological arguments, only to fulfill an obligation in Gary’s challenge. If you also find them spiritually uplifting, perhaps you will also consider upgrading your membership level to help support Ricochet and keep it as a going concern.
Affirmation: I will love all people, for God is working within and through them.
There is an exchange in the Bible where Jesus is asked, What shall I do to inherit eternal life?
The answer boils down to, Love the Lord with all you are and have and your neighbor as yourself.
This is one of the most profound lessons of the Bible. If we see through the eyes of Spirit, we are all one and there is nothing to do but love. When we approach the Christ consciousness, we understand that there is nothing to fear. We are spiritual beings acting out our roles in a sacred educational play. Spirit cannot be wounded. The Truth of us is spirit, and our spirit will learn more, teach more, and return to God through love.
Luke 10:27 “He answered, saying to him, You must love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”
Published in Religion & Philosophy
Mom always said that the Golden Rule was Christianity all boiled down to a sentence. If we followed it and read nothing else in the Bible, we’d be fine.
That is pretty much the conclusion I have come to. All else is just ways to practice getting over yourself.
Yet sometimes it’s just so hard to do. Perhaps that’s why Jesus gave us this instruction.
Jesus was quoting directly from the Torah, Deuteronomy 6:4 and Leviticus 19:18. Loving G-d with all your heart, and Loving your neighbor were not original ideas of Jesus. These were fundamental foundations of Judaism.
In the passage, Jesus does not say it. When asked, he asks the question in return, “What is written in the law? How do you see it?” The scribe who was testing Jesus by asking the question then replies with the Jewish (or Old Testament) scriptures you cite, and Jesus replies, “You spoke the truth; do this and you shall live.”
And that shows why Judaism is on of the World’s Greatest Religions.
Shalom.
Thanks, @garyrobbins and @arahant! A wonderful idea…and may it continue to offer inspiration and spark conversation.