Thursday, August 28th: In this episode of The Daily Grind, we explore one of the most challenging truths from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount: our relationship with God cannot be separated from our relationship with others. Jesus makes it clear that the vertical and horizontal beams of the cross belong together—our worship of God and our love for people are inseparably linked. He teaches that the mercy we receive from God depends on the mercy we extend to others, and that God’s forgiveness of us is tied to our willingness to forgive. This theme echoes throughout Scripture, from Isaiah’s rebuke of empty rituals to John’s insistence that no one can love God while hating a brother or sister. Yet, throughout history, religious communities—including the Pharisees in Jesus’ day—have often tried to sever the two.
We examine how this plays out today when people claim strong devotion to God while mistreating those made in His image. Jesus shows us that true discipleship transforms not only our vertical connection to God but also our horizontal relationships with others. Through stories like Corrie Ten Boom’s act of forgiveness, we see how God empowers us to love even when it seems impossible. In a world that often privatizes faith and severs it from everyday relationships, Jesus calls us to a holistic life of love. If Jesus was serious, then loving God must always be reflected in loving people.
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