The Christian Iife | a 6-Day Skate Church Movement DevotionalSample

Love God. Love people.

“Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?’ Jesus replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself. The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40

Have you ever found it difficult to show love at the skatepark? Have you ever snaked someone, or gone a whole session without saying a single word to someone? Maybe you put in headphones because you would rather just do your own thing instead of talking to others or saying hi to a kid who doesn’t have any friends at the park. I’m sure we’ve all done something similar at some point in our lives. The truth is, God calls us to do quite the opposite.

In Matthew 22, Jesus is confronted with the question, “What is the greatest commandment?” and His response was to encourage others to love God with all of their heart, soul, and mind. Many of us ask, “How do I really love God?” Well, it can honestly look like simply talking to Him, reading the Bible, obeying Him, asking what His direction for your life looks like, and being thankful for everything He’s done in your life. As we read further in this passage, though, Jesus follows up with the second and equally important commandment: to love your neighbor as yourself.

Those asking the question were quick to respond with another question, “Who, then, is my neighbor?” I think if we were all honest, we might ask this question more than we think. Is this literally my neighbors living next door? Are these the kids that we see at the skatepark? The Greek word for neighbor is “Plesion.” In context to this passage, it means “those nearby.” You see, God has called us to love those around us and those we have the ability to love; close friends, family, co-workers, random people you meet, and definitely everyone at the skatepark.

Jesus ends His response to this question really by describing the simplicity of what it looks like to love Him and love others. From an overflow of our love for God, we should naturally love those around us. It isn’t until we love God with all of our heart, soul, and mind that we’re able to truly love our neighbors as ourselves. Our capacity to love God and others is only because of the love we have received from Him first and foremost. (1 John 4:19) Whether it’s at work, in the mall, at a restaurant, or at the skatepark, my challenge for you is to step out of your comfort zone; be the person who lets someone drop in first, introduces themselves to someone new, and gets psyched for others when they land a trick! Get out there and love God, love others, and love skateboarding!

Pushing Further

1. What makes it difficult to love someone you don’t know or don’t get along with?
2. How can you go out of your way this week to show love to someone else?