Because He wasn’t a hypocrite, Jesus didn’t just talk about the Great Commandment. The fact is, at every turn Jesus loved God His Father and His neighbors — perfectly. Have you ever considered this thought? If so, it changes how you and I read the Gospel accounts.

Several hallmarks of Jesus’ earthly ministry stand out. I find them incredibly important to loving our neighbors today. The first hallmark is Jesus’ prayer life. On more than one occasion we find Him slipping away to pray by Himself, sometimes spending an entire night in prayer.

The second hallmark is Jesus’ habit of doing things only where He knew that the Father already was at work, and how the Father preferred to work. In fact, Jesus went so far as to claim that He was unable to do anything, anywhere, on His own – as we should do daily.  The Lord Jesus, as a man, depended on God the Father’s omnipotence.

What do these hallmarks tell us? First, they speak to the importance of praying for those God places around us. Second, they speak to the significance of watching for signs of how God already is at work in their lives. Think of it. God already is actively loving your neighbors. So, why wait? Begin praying for them, by name. And then thank God for what He’s going to do in their lives.  This is Luis Palau