Global GospelSample

Lists

BY PAUL SWANSON

I absolutely love a list. For some, they’re a necessity; for others, a formality. But for me, they’re a daily source of joy and productivity. Whether written on paper or typed on a screen, a list of tasks, thoughts, prayers, goals, or reminders to systematically check off is deeply satisfying. When you think about it, lists are everywhere in Scripture. The Ten Commandments, the fruit of the Spirit, the armor of God, and the Beatitudes are examples of lists in the Bible. In Matthew 22, when Jesus is asked, “Teacher, what is the greatest commandment?” he gives perhaps the simplest and most profound list of two things for us to do:

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ … ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’”(Matthew 22:37, 39).

These commandments, which are actually from Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18, are put together by Jesus to show that true faith is about love in action. It’s a simple list, but one that deserves a place at the top of my daily to-dos. Each morning, I need to ask myself, Did I love God with all my heart, soul, and mind? Did I love my neighbor?

A recent reminder of what it means to love your neighbor came during a trip to Tanzania. On behalf of Covenant Kids Congo and World Vision, I joined three other Covenant leaders to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, the tallest free-standing mountain in the world. Over six grueling days, we hiked to reach the summit at 19,341 feet, raising support for more than 300 children to receive life-saving clean water and vital necessities in the Democratic Republic of Congo. On the hike we were supported by an incredible team of porters, cooks, and guides. One porter named Ali became my trusted companion. He was thoughtful, kind, and consistently looked out for me, which I can tell you was absolutely necessary.

On the final day, we faced the hardest challenge: the summit ascent was 4,000 feet of very steep and unstable footing in the middle of the night. Hiking in the darkness, following a line of headlamps, and battling the altitude, we made our way up the mountain. That was followed by a long, steep, and treacherous descent. On the way down, I was completely spent. My 57-year-old legs ached, my energy was gone, and I still had miles to go. But all of a sudden, there was Ali. He had climbed up the trail for me with one goal and one goal only. He simply said, “Let me take your pack.”He had come to share the burden of the last miles with me. That is a moment that will stay with me forever.

He didn’t preach a sermon. He didn’t quote Scripture. He just lived it. His act of service and sacrifice was the embodiment of Matthew 22:37–40. Love that is generous. Love that notices. Love that carries the weight for someone else when they cannot carry it alone. Loving our neighbor isn’t always convenient. Sometimes it means slowing down, showing up, or shouldering someone else’s burden. But when we do, we are living out the beautiful, powerful list that Jesus gave us: Love God. Love others. And let that love be visible in how we live, how we give, and how we climb alongside others—step by step, pack and all.

Reflection Question

Where in my life is God inviting me to carry someone else's burden?

Prayer

Lord, thank you for the simple and sacred call to love you and to love others. Teach me to notice where love is needed, to act without hesitation, and to carry burdens that are not mine simply because that’s what you have shown us to do.