I read a story recently that it is believed by some scholars that the person who turned in Anne Frank and her family (along with the family who was hiding them) to the Nazis was Jewish. He turned them in to help protect his family. I’m sure that man loved his family and he would literally have done anything to protect them…even the wrong thing.
When we love something in the world more than we love God, we sin. That’s how it happens. It’s no mistake that the First Commandment is a warning about putting other gods before the One True God. There’s a reason for that. It’s is the ultimate protection against evil.
Love God more than your political cause.
Love God more than your urges.
Love God more than your sexual identity.
Love God more than your family.
I can’t help but think back to the Amy Coney Barrett nomination hearings. Remember Senator Diane Feinstein leveled the strange accusation of “the dogma lives loudly in you.” That worried her because the political establishment fears someone who is properly ordered by fearing and loving God above all else.
If you love your politics above all else, you can be manipulated. If you treasure the esteem that others show you, you can be manipulated. If power above all else makes you get up in the morning, you can be manipulated.
Even if your passion is “doing good” you can be manipulated because you will eventually be forced to debate how much evil can I participate in, in order to achieve the higher or greater good? You’ll be twisted into some version of utilitarian compromise.
But someone who loves God above all else? What can you do with them. There’s no leverage there for the world to insert itself.
I’m sure many Nazis joined the party because if they didn’t their families would’ve been punished. They did evil to protect someone they loved. Disordered and mis-prioritized love can lead you to do all sorts of terrible things. Love of country. Love of family.
God’s first commandment is there to help us. We can not be estranged from Him when we put Him first in our heart.
Strange gods lead to evil.
In short, love is not all you need. In fact, love, untethered to God, is capable of destroying the world.
