Jesus told the inquiring scribe: “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” Not far — he got a “B” and not an “A.” Seems like he should have gotten an “A.” Didn’t he give the correct answer: love God with your whole heart and love your neighbor? Yes, but he missed the initial Biblical admonition undergirding the rest: “Hear.” The scribe only got a “B” because he missed that the starting point is always our receiving the message of God’s love. Love of God and neighbor is not a personal project of self-improvement. We love in response to the love God has previously bestowed upon us. We must hear, we must receive, we must accept who God is for us and the love follows
