Guest Blog: Doug Honea, Upper Darby, PA.

In Matthew 22:34-40, Jesus answers the question, "What is the greatest commandment?"

34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

First, we need to recognize that "love" here is a verb. It's not an abstract feeling that comes and goes, it is conscious, deliberate action that we take. Jesus didn't say, "Feel love towards your neighbor, or even 'like' your neighbor." He told us something specific to do.

This sounds simple enough and should be easy to understand. Yet, how do we know if we are following Jesus' commandment? Is my definition of "love" the same as yours?

Fortunately, we don't have to "wonder" if we are loving according to the Bible. The Apostle Paul defined love in a set of specific traits and actions that we can use as our "checklist."

In 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, Paul tells us this about love:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

It's as simple as that!