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The Rev. Merlin Shorb Pastor of Rappahannock Methodist Charge
Flint Hill, Sperryville and Willis Chapel
"LOVE AS A DUTY"
The Ten Commandments in summary are orders to love God and neighbor. (Mark 12:30-31) It sounds strange to romantic ears that such thing as love can be demanded of us. For creatures who "fall in love," if love does not "happen," the "chemistry" isn't right. How can such love be true? It sounds more like bondage.
As beautiful as romantic love is, we mostly agree this love must be nurtured by a lot of effort. In the Ten Commandments God is virtually calling us to put forth that effort: the effort of love. When we wish to attract a certain someone we do all kinds of things out of the ordinary. Surprisingly, no one needs to instruct us. Our love for that special person will find a way. Everything has changed. The step is lighter. The sky is brighter. Our world is new because we love someone. This bondage of love has set us free.
This is exactly what Jeremiah is saying when he calls for the Law in stone to be inscribed in the heart. (31:33) We "fall in lbve" with God and neighbor. Much like the rules of driving designed for our safety, we enjoy the trip by observing the law. As in football, we arc free to play because we keep the rules of the game. Love does not make the Law unnecessary. Rather, love fulfills the Law. (Rom. 13:10) The law is not eclipsed, but confirmed by right behavior. (Rom. 3:31) This is the goal of the Law.
Before the Law was ever written down, it was first spoken by God in the hearing of all Israel. (Ex. 20:22) The stone tablets that followed were to continually remind them of what they had already heard. But it was also a call to personal accountability. Every one of the Ten Commandments, spoken for all to hear, were given in the singular number. Each person in that company was addressed as an individual before God. Our response must also be personal.
But if love is a duty, how can we still feel good about it? The emotions that love inspires are important to us. We need to "feel" our love for God and neighbor. I don't think we actually compromise the emotional side of love by making love mandatory. Instead, we put emotions in perspective. Many acts of love are unpleasant, such as cleaning up after someone or mowing the lawn. The loving emotion may be absent. What usually happens is that the emotion follows the kindness done. We feel so good for having helped someone. We then discover why the Lord required us to love each other in the first place.
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