When Jesus was asked, "What is the greatest commandment?", he in essence said to love God with your whole-being. “One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: ‘ Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’ Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.’” (Matthew 22:35-38).

The second greatest commandment Jesus said is to "Love your neighbor as yourself."“ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments" (Matthew 22:39-40). He assumes that a person should have a healthy view and love of self. If I viewed myself as a 10, 10 being the best, and you as a 3, what would that be? It would be arrogance or pride. But if I saw myself as a 3 and everyone else as a 9 or 10 that would be inferiority. How friendly and caring will a person be who has arrogance or a real sense of inferiority? Jesus wants each person to love self and thus they'll treat others as important too.

In fact, parents and teachers influence how a child views self. Adam Clarke was born in eighteenth century Ireland. When Adam was a schoolboy, his father told the teacher that his son wouldn't do well. The teacher said, "He looks bright." That statement changed Adam's life. It let him out of the box into which his father had put him. He lived to be 72. In his lifetime he became a great scholar, author and English preacher. It was said that when Adam Clarke preached, people listened. Look where it started, with a teacher who must have loved herself and thus loved her neighbor. Let’s try to correctly view ourselves and others, and have a fantastic day!

listen to a small clip on this subject from the cd