“Greatest Commandment”

24″ x 18″

Acrylic on Panel

Commissioned; NFS

Do you remember the Ten Commandments? You probably learned them in Sunday school, or maybe saw them in a court room somewhere…all the “thou shall nots.” But what is the greatest commandment? Would it surprise you to know it’s not even a “thou shalt not”, but a “thou shalt?

The book of Matthew (Chapter 22, verse 37-39) records Jesus’ answer to that great question: what is the greatest commandment?

“And Jesus said unto him, ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul and with all thy mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy self.’”

I was commissioned to do a painting for a friend of mine that illustrated this verse. What I envisioned were people worshiping God together in one place, and more than that, showing love to their neighbor.

The street person just entering in the church perhaps has never felt this kind of love before. Seeing people praising God from the heart, and his practical needs being met—physical food and spiritual food.

Nobody judges him. They don’t care about where he has been or what he has done. They just welcome him, and they’re just happy that God brought him here.

Jesus said: “If You’ve done it to the least of these brothers of mine, You’ve done it unto me.”

Sadly, a lot of churches are about as welcoming as a mausoleum. But scattered in churches all over, God has people that are submitted to Him and to doing His will. When we surrender to God and practice this kind of love for God and our neighbor more and more, God’s kingdom will grow like we’ve never seen before.