Life is not about accumulation, nor is it about passing a test. Life is about learning how to love and remembering that sometimes, less is best. Jesus gave us a model.
Jesus was both direct and compassionate when He looked upon His disciples: simple fishermen, a tax collector, and other ordinary working men. He saw them with deep love and, in many ways, shared their humble backgrounds. Known as the son of a carpenter, Jesus lived in solidarity with those who toiled in obscurity, far from status or religious prestige.
Together, they lived in a world overwhelmed by rules, a religious system tangled in legalism and casuistry. Every detail of life was subject to interpretation. Jews could not eat pork or shellfish, as they were considered unclean. They were forbidden from wearing garments made from mixed fabrics like wool and flax. They could not trim their beards or foreheads, so they maintained a distinct Hebrew identity, visibly set apart from foreigners. Life was shaped by festivals, circumcision, agricultural laws, and hundreds more regulations. By the 12th century, the Jewish philosopher Maimonides would catalog 613 commandments extrapolated from the Torah.
Learning to Love, Not Just to Comply
In Jesus’ day, rabbis were not only spiritual leaders but also legal scholars who adjudicated disputes and recited the law with precision. Then, Jesus came along. He was a rabbi by calling, but not by credentials. He held no formal degrees, no respected pedigree. He carried something far more revolutionary: clarity. In essence, Jesus said, “Less is best.” He encouraged His disciples, “Put away the idea that we must be like all the other rabbis and their disciples. They may have the law, but they lack love. My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”
Jesus’ Radical Simplicity in a Rule-Obsessed World
Then came His unforgettable words from Matthew 22:37–39: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Bible Gateway).
Why Two Commands Outweigh 613 Laws
Two commandments, not 613. This was the foundation of discipleship. No longer would formation come from endless scrolls alone, but from walking with Jesus, city by city, road by road, shore by shore. They would not learn by studying rules, but by witnessing love in action. Jesus didn’t erase the core of the law; He revealed it. The basics were buried under layers of tradition and interpretation, but Jesus brought people back to the source and back to the heart of God. Jesus didn’t offer His disciples courses in English, math, science, or history. Instead, He defined terms in Hebrew. He taught them how to multiply loaves and fish. He healed the sick, raised the dead, and tied His teachings to ancient sacred texts. In leading His disciples through the basics of life, He made them teachers of the Gospel.
Parents, You Were Made for This
You are Called, not Credentialed
What is Jesus saying to us today, especially to parents who are His modern-day disciples, called to raise and teach God’s children? We often feel overwhelmed and underqualified, don’t we? We come to Jesus weary, wondering if we can possibly meet the expectations the world sets for parenting. But Jesus invites us to let go of those expectations. He calls us to drop our nets, lay down our status, ignore the handouts, and risk vulnerability, even criticism and persecution, for something better.
When we love God with all our heart, mind, and soul, He speaks to us. He inspires us to learn and to learn alongside our children. He doesn’t ask us to be perfect, just faithful. He doesn’t demand credentials, only commitment. His model is worth following. Jesus didn’t just raise followers, He raised disciples. He did it in a way that was intentional, sacrificial, risky, unconventional, and utterly revolutionary in a world obsessed with appearances and achievements.
Discipleship Is a Daily Walk, Not a State Mandate
Education, at its heart, is about forming souls to love God. That’s been largely lost in today’s public learning centers, and it’s a deep loss. When education becomes a tool of the state instead of an expression of faith and family, we lose sight of who the true teachers are: parents.
Education That Forms the Soul
What neighbor could be closer to you than your own child? You may have 613 reasons why you feel unqualified to teach your children. But God gives you two reasons why you are. Life is not about following every rule or striving for a perfect résumé. It is not a cumulative test. God desires that we become lifelong learners and learners who are grounded in love: love for Him and love for others. He showed us how to raise not just children, but disciples. When the demands pile up, when the books feel heavy, when debates and science projects feel overwhelming, remind your children of Jesus’ two simple commands. Tell them: “Less is best.”
This is the heart of parental autonomy—the sacred right and responsibility to raise, teach, and disciple your children according to God’s call, not state mandates.
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