You know, Jesus had a way of cutting through all the fluff and getting right down to what matters most. In Matthew 22:37-39, He summed up life in two commandments: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind” and “Love your neighbor as yourself.” That’s it. That’s the big idea.

Now, loving God? That makes sense. After all, He’s the One who gives us air to breathe and second chances we don’t deserve. But loving people? Whew, that’s where it gets tricky. God’s perfect, but people? Not so much. Some folks will borrow your tools and never return them. Others will cut you off in traffic, then wave at you like you’re the problem. And yet, Jesus says love them anyway.

Loving God means giving Him first place in your life—trusting Him with your problems, thanking Him for your blessings, and seeking Him every single day. And loving people? That means showing grace when they don’t deserve it, forgiving even when it’s hard, and sometimes just biting your tongue when you’d rather let ’em have it.

It’s not easy, but here’s the thing: when you love like Jesus said, the world changes. Bitterness melts, relationships heal, and your heart feels lighter. So today, let’s commit to loving God with everything we’ve got and letting that love spill over to everyone we meet—even the ones who test our patience.

Because in the end, loving God and loving people isn’t just what we do. It’s who we’re called to be.