A Birthday Gift: The 11th Commandment

In the hustle and bustle of the season it's all too easy to forget the sacred event around which the holiday hoopla whirls -- the birth of Christ.

---

Jesus has suffered the fate of many successful iconoclasts, and has become himself, an icon. He has been an icon for so long that it is sometimes difficult to remember how truly revolutionary his teachings were -- and still are. What are His teachings? What did He ask us to do? There are, of course, a number of things he taught us to practice: among them are love, humility, compassion, service to others, and faith. And He left us with a commandment, that if added to the original ten in the Old Testament, becomes the 11th Commandment. As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus, it seems to me an appropriate time to discuss the instruction He passed on to us shortly before His crucifixion. "This I command you: that you love one another." (John 15:17 NAB) He commanded us to love each other. Tall order. Some translations of the Bible are even more specific, and have Jesus commanding us to not only love one another, but to love each other with the same love that He loved with – Divine love. Very tall order indeed. "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you." (John 15:12,14 NKJV) Seems pretty straightforward to me: If we aren't following His commandment, then we are no friends of Jesus. He said it, I didn't. Well, Jesus has darn few friends if that's the case. But given His record of love, mercy, and forgiveness, I don't t think things are quite that stark. Jesus was all too aware of our human propensity to err, and He stressed the importance of following the spirit of the law, rather than the letter. So I feel it's safe to assume that to just try, sincerely try, to follow the commandment Jesus gave us, is enough to make us His friend. To put us on His Christmas list, so to speak. So we need to try to love, but what is love? What is love, really? We speak of "making love," but that's obviously not love; it's making lust. Nothing wrong with that, but it's not love. Love may be in the mix, but it’s not the main ingredient. Is love an intensive of "like" -- as in: like, like more, like a lot, love? No. You can dislike someone, and yet love them, or like someone, and not love them. So what is love? Great question, and one well worth looking into. I've found a number of answers to the question; some helpful, and some not so helpful. I've prayed for guidance regarding this, and I feel comfortable with my current level of understanding. Which is not to say that my understanding of love can't grow, because it most certainly can. As a birthday gift; on Christmas I plan on spending the day trying to practice the 11th Commandment. I'll make a conscious decision to forgive everyone for everything; as best I can. I'll look deep within myself for the "kingdom of God." I'll practice thanksgiving, and have a vibrant "attitude of gratitude." I’ll have faith that this will all be a meaningful gift to my Friend. I'll try to practice the type of love that Jesus taught -- which, as I understand it, involves looking outside of myself, and being of service to others. What a concept. Just for one day. But who knows, it just may blossom into a year-round thing.