The Greatest Commandment of scripture is given in Deuteronomy six; “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.”
Jews start prayer every day with the Shema, an imperative to not only hear but obey what the Lord has spoken.
The world has a much different understanding of love than what God gives us. The world believes that love allows one to do as they please and enjoy the pleasures found in the flesh. The Lord is clear that true love and human flourishing are found in the discipline of His commands, that God is good, and we should also be.
This is borne out when we read the context of the great commandment and back it up with the teaching Jesus gave us when He stated, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”
Deuteronomy 5 & 6 includes the ten commandments and the commands to teach them to our children and not forget that doing so is the source of prosperity and a good life.
A good parent not only teaches right and wrong, but the discipline needed to live well, whereas the evil parent is permissive, allowing them every indulgence and never challenging their worldviews with God’s truth.
It is no accident that liberty, prosperity, and human flourishing result from the Lord’s love and truth. In contrast, the world’s notion of love leads to enslavement, poverty, and lawlessness, not to mention shared misery.
God wants what is best for us, and that is not found in an undisciplined sinful lifestyle. When we love the Lord with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our strength, it becomes clear that we should hear and obey because He wants the best for us, and He will not give us bad gifts but good.