Jesus said all the law and the prophets could be summarized in two commands:

1. Love Our Father with our whole heart.
2. Love our neighbors as ourselves.

We can pick apart what “love” is (Jesus would say it’s demonstrated by obeying His commands, John 14:15), and the devil has us fighting amongst ourselves about what love means, but that’s it. That’s literally it.

When we’re loving well, true to the heart and will of God, we cannot sin.

We’re called to love The Lord and His trinity (Mark 12:30). We’re called to love His law (Psalm 1:2) We’re called to love our neighbor (Mark 12:31). We’re also called to love ourselves…despite all of the ways we’ve loved others (and ourselves), poorly.

I often hear my Father calling me to love; to forgiveness. Daily, I hear my Father’s voice calling me away from offense and toward love. He demonstrates everyday, a thousand different ways, I’m covered in it.

I’ve been pretty tough on myself, but honestly, I thought I’d been doing a pretty good job in the love and forgiveness department. As it pertained to humanity, maybe I was. As it pertained to me, however…it appeared I could do no right. I wasn’t ever good enough. I wasn’t ever DO-ing well enough. Everyone else deserved mercy, but, what, “I knew better”? At all familiar?

It’s a perception issue.

Jesus may have stated it this way because humanity can be selfish, so He’s pointing back to whom we love most (ourself). Regardless, I’m grateful it’s written this way because in all of the love and forgiveness I pour into others…I sometimes don’t realize I’m still hating on and abusing me. I’m covered by grace, but that is lack of love. That is unforgiveness. That is sin. I so often forget that love and forgiveness are to be applied to the entire body, and I am a part of that body. I have an important role to play, and in Christ I’m just as worthy of love and forgiveness as the next gal.

Be encouraged today: you’re loved. You’re forgiven. And you’re COMMANDED to love yourself. In order to bring joy to our Father, we must love ourselves and forgive ourselves the same way He has. Pay attention: next time the evil one sneaks in, demanding your shame: you are literally commanded to reject that shame. In Jesus’ name, you have the authority to rebuke, in love, condemnation that isn’t yours.

Say with me today: “I am loved. I am forgiven. I am commanded to release all shame in Jesus’ name, so that’s what I do. The evil one has no authority to condemn what Christ Jesus has made clean.” Praise God!