Are you a Sadducee or do you step out in love like Jesus did?
Watch the video and decide.

I know the correct answer to this question: love, right? But, do I actually live my life in this manner? Do I set aside time to learn about Him because of love or to follow the rules? Is my relationship with Him grounded in love or rules? Or do I really see Jesus as someone I have to please to receive His love?

Ouch. That last question hit home. Do I see Jesus as someone I have to please to receive His love? This is something I struggle with often. Am I taking the right steps in life to keep Him happy? To keep him… still loving me? All the people smarter than me say your response to God is based on the relationship you had with your father when you were growing up. If this is true, it answers my questions of why I have fought my instinctual “earn your love” thinking.

My dad was rarely around when I was growing up. He was a small business owner and was consumed by business…and by alcohol. I worked really hard to get him to look my way – I made good grades, I played softball, did gymnastics and lived a pretty disciplined life. I couldn’t stand to do “anything” wrong. If I did everything right, I usually got a “Good Job, Aim” and a smile from him. And that little reward made it all worthwhile.

But, then he died and never knew the adult me. And left me with baggage on how I relate to God and people.

“’And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31 (NASB)

I am very good at following rules. Not so good at loving the un-loveable people God calls me to love. Following rules is easy; loving tends to require more out of me. Loving requires me to slow down and ask God to give me His supernatural ability to love.

How about you? Are you better with rules? Are you a Sadducee or do you step out in love like Jesus did?