"Love's Power"

JESUS replied: " LOVE your GOD with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and GREATEST commandment. And the second is like it: LOVE your neighbor as yourself. All the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments.

Matthew 22:37-40.

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked JESUS, and "Who is my neighbor?" In reply JESUS said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho...“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man The expert in the law replied, "

the one who had Mercy on him." JESUS told him " Go and DO likewise."

Luke 10: 29-37

Meditation:

Love is one of those words we hear everywhere—songs, movies, sermons, social media. But when Jesus talks about love, He isn’t describing a feeling, a mood, or a poetic idea. He’s describing a way of life so powerful that it reshapes our hearts, our relationships, and even our communities.

Two passages capture this beautifully:

Matthew 22:37–40, where Jesus names the greatest commandments, and Luke 10:25–37, where He tells the parable of the Good Samaritan. Together, they form a blueprint for a life marked by love that does something. LOVE is a VERB.

Let’s explore what that looks like—and how to live it out in real life.

1. Love Begins With God (Matthew 22:37)

Jesus says the first and greatest commandment is:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”

This isn’t a half-hearted, Sunday-only kind of love. It’s a love that consumes every part of who we are—our desires, our decisions, our priorities, our identity.

What does this look like in practice?

• Start your day with God. A simple prayer, a moment of gratitude, or a verse can re-center your heart.

• Let God shape your choices. Ask, “Does this honor Him?” before reacting, posting, or deciding.

• Pursue relationship, not ritual. Love grows through connection, not checklists.

When we love God deeply, His love naturally flows through us to others.

2. Love Your Neighbor as Yourself (Matthew 22:39)

Jesus doesn’t stop with loving God. He immediately adds:

“Love your neighbor as yourself.”

This commandment is inseparable from the first. Loving God transforms how we see people—every person becomes someone made in His image, someone worth compassion, dignity, and care.

But who exactly is our “neighbor”?That’s where Luke 10 comes in.

3. The Good Samaritan: Love That Crosses Lines (Luke 10:25–37)

When a lawyer asks Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?”, Jesus responds with a story that flips expectations.

A man is beaten and left for dead. Two religious leaders—people who should have helped—walk past him. Then a Samaritan, someone despised by Jews, stops. He bandages the man’s wounds, pays for his care, and promises to return.

Jesus ends with a simple but challenging instruction:

“Go and do likewise.”

What does this teach us?

• Love is active. It moves toward need, not away from it.

• Love is costly. It takes time, energy, and sometimes resources.

• Love breaks barriers. It crosses cultural, social, and personal boundaries.

• Love sees people, not categories. The Samaritan didn’t ask who the man was—he saw a human being in need.

This is love with power—love that heals, restores, and reflects the heart of God.

4. Putting Love Into Practice Today

You don’t need heroic moments to live out Jesus’ command. Love grows in the small, consistent choices we make every day.

A. Love in Your Home

• Listen without interrupting.

• Apologize quickly and sincerely.

• Serve without being asked.

B. Love in Your Community

• Check on a neighbor who lives alone.

• Support local ministries or shelters.

• Offer kindness to service workers who rarely receive it.

C. Love in Difficult Relationships

• Pray for those who hurt you.

• Set healthy boundaries without bitterness.

• Choose forgiveness even when it’s hard.

D. Love in a Divided World

• Speak with grace, not hostility.

• Seek understanding before judgment.

• Treat every person as someone Christ died for.

Love becomes powerful when it becomes practical!

5. Love That Looks Like Jesus

Ultimately, the Good Samaritan points us to Christ Himself. Jesus is the One who found us wounded, broken, and unable to save ourselves. He came near. He healed. He paid the price.

He carried us when we couldn’t walk...

When we love others, we reflect the One who first loved us.

Final Encouragement

The world doesn’t need more noise, opinions, or division...

It needs people who live out the greatest commandments with courage and compassion.

Love God deeply. Love people boldly. Let your life be a living parable of the Good Samaritan.

That’s the power of LOVE—and it can change everything.

Prayer:

Gracious God help us to obey your commandments every day with words and actions, specially the greatest one LOVE! Continue guide us with your Holy Spirit to continue spreading the Gospel with Love and Joy to everyone in Jesus' name we pray, Amen!

Jose Reyes.