“They were there with love in their heart.”

My first reaction was to disagree (disgustedly). But then I realized the statement is true… if you have a different definition of love.

Many live by the adage: love your neighbor, hate your enemy. This allows love and hate to exist simultaneously in a heart. You can love a neighbor by hating your neighbor’s enemy.

But then there is the love of God.

The expert in the law knew that eternal life was gained by loving God and loving his neighbor. But the man wanted to be justified, so he asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?”

Jesus answers with a story. And in the story we find the expert’s enemy. Only this enemy is giving in abundance to the person the expert would naturally consider a neighbor. The expert’s enemy helps, even saves, the expert’s friend. In the love of God our enemy becomes our neighbor.

You can have love in your heart and hate your enemies. But it is not the love of God. It is the love of something or someone else.

When you love God, you love ALL others.

“Do this and you will live.”