You

It has always been the understood “you” of the Greatest Commandment that grabbed my attention. It still does. Mainly because I believe that there is something in the story that speaks directly to me.

The scene:

Religious leaders decide to “trip up Christ.” Either they have just had enough of Him, they feel intimidated by Him, or they perceive him as a future threat or possibly something else- regardless of the reason they attempt this trap. They ask Him, “what is the Greatest Commandment?”

His answer (Matthew 22:37-40):

37 …Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

38 This is the first and great commandment.

39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

The thing that grabs my attention:

Look at the words “thou and thy.” They are used 7/8 times. The Lord thy God and the Neighbor are only mentioned once each.

Where is the emphasis? Where is the focus? What’s it all about?

It works well with other passages that talk about our worth. It works well with the passages about responsibility. It works well with the new commandment that Christ gives in John 13:34…

It doesn’t work well with a host of thought that promotes self-loathing. It is a passage promoting self care and awareness. It is a passage that helps us to think more about Christ’s grace than our own sin.

You have worth. You are valuable. You matter. You make a difference. You are important.