May 17, 2013 (Friday)
“Love one another” — The greatest commandment
On this Date, May 17, in 1954 The Supreme Court ruled unanimously against segregation in schools in Brown v. Board of Education. It was a momentous decision that forever changed the face of this nation.
Today, 59 years later, segregation is a thing of the past. Sadly, however, racism is still with us.
The law put people of different races together in rooms, but it could not change hearts. There is a law, however, that perhaps has gone unnoticed, and, therefore, unheeded. It was the law laid down by Jesus Christ, on the night of his betrayal and arrest, the eve of His crucifixion. He called it “a new commandment,” meaning, “a new law.” What was that law? It was simply stated: “Love one another.”
Jesus had shown them that their love should extend outside their circle and include everyone. He was kind and helpful to a Syro-Phonecian woman, to a Samaritan woman, to the Roman soldiers who drove nails into him. As the Resurrected Lord, He sent Philip to the Samaritans and an Ethiopian, Paul to the Greeks, Timothy to the Ephesians, Barnabas to the Cypriots, Titus to the Cretans. It is clear to us that Jesus came to save everyone, regardless of race, and his love was and is the same for all people, regardless of who they are. The first church was in Jerusalem, made up of Jews. The first Gentile church was made up of Syrians, who were the first people to be known as, “Christians!”
Devotional Thought:
A real Christian loves everyone.