“A heart is not judged by how much you love, but by how much you are
loved by others.” I saw this quotation, attributed to the Wizard of Oz, on a
wall plaque in a gift shop.
The Wizard of Oz may be a
good story, but it’s not a reliable source of spiritual information. God said
something quite different. According to Him, the greatest commandment is to
love—to love Him first and then others (Mark 12:29-31). Scripture says nothing
about expecting to be loved in return. In fact, Jesus stated the opposite in
His most famous sermon: “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you,
and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be
exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven” (Matt. 5:11-12).
When it comes to love, the important thing we need to know is this: All
love starts with God (1 John 4:19). As Moses told the Israelites, God delighted
in them to love them (Deut. 10:15), and because of that they were to love
others, even strangers (v.19). God’s intent is that the people who receive His
love will become the conduit of His love to others.
Apart from
God—who Himself is love—none of us could truly love or be loved (1 John 4:7-8).
He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. (1 John 4:8) – (RBC)
