Spotting a commandment to put into practice
The word “commandment” sometimes makes people grit their teeth. We think of prohibitions, lists, pressure. Yet in the Bible, commandments are words of love that show how to live well. This quest invites you to spot one in your reading, and to put it into practice today.
What it looks like in your day
During your reading, look for verbs in the imperative or expressions like “thou shalt,” “do not,” “love,” “forgive,” “watch.” Then proceed like this:
- Spot it. Underline it or copy it out.
- Understand its meaning. What does it ask precisely? Who is it addressed to: all believers, or a particular situation?
- Choose a concrete application for today. Not a grand principle: a gesture.
- Act, and come back in the evening. Were you able to do it? How did it go?
Examples: the commandment “Love one another” can become: “I check in on my colleague who is on her own.” “Forgive” can become: “I write that reconciliation message I've been putting off for two weeks.” “Be careful for nothing” can become: “I hand my medical appointment over to God, then move on.”
If you are short on time, a single commandment and a single action are enough. If you are a beginner, Jesus' commandments in John's Gospel are a good starting point. If you are shy, your application can be entirely discreet.
What the Bible says
Jesus directly links love and obedience:
“This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.”
His main commandment is not a complicated rule, it is a person to imitate: “as I have loved you.” He himself sums up the law in two commandments:
“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”
Everything else flows from them. John writes that God's commandments are not burdensome (1 John 5:3), because they are given to someone who is already loved. Jesus also says: “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). The order is important: love first, obedience afterwards, as a response.
Pitfalls to avoid
Legalism. If you practice a commandment to “earn” God's love, you are on the wrong track. Your obedience doesn't make you more loved: it expresses that you already are. If you fail, grace is there.
Permanent guilt. You will never be able to fulfill everything perfectly. The point is not to condemn yourself, but to take a step. A single commandment well lived today is worth more than ten broken promises.
Retaining only the prohibitions. Commandments are not limited to “don't.” The greatest are positive: love, serve, forgive, give.
Applying without understanding. Some Old Testament commandments concern situations that are no longer ours (sacrifices, purity rules). Ask yourself what the text reveals about God's character and his will to love, and what Jesus said on the subject.
Using them against others. It is easy to brandish a commandment to judge. Apply it to yourself first.
Tomorrow, during your reading, look for a commandment. Note it, choose an action for the day, and do it.