LCC reader Skinner has an interesting post on his blog about Maundy Thursday (that’s today). Surf over to his page and check it out when you have about 10 minutes to pause and reflect.
It is intentional, it would seem, that the commandment to serve (and the example of it) precede the commandment to love. Love is service plus. Love is a selfless, volitional desire for the growth and fulfillment of another person. We can serve without loving, but we cannot love without serving. Perhaps the reason we are commanded to serve first is that through service to others, we learn how to love others.