A lot happens in the last week of Jesus’ life before going to the cross. One of the more well-known commands of Jesus was given during those last days. As He is teaching His disciples and preparing them for Him to leave them, He tells them to love one another.
Was it necessary to tell them that? We could assume that command was included in the command to love your neighbor. Yet, Jesus adds one more statement to this command. It is by loving one another that everyone else will know that we are Jesus’ disciples.
How does that affect us today? Sometimes, it seems it is like water rolling off a duck’s back. It goes in one ear and out the other. In other words, we act more like the world, sniping at one another, pointing fingers, blaming, and sometimes cursing one another. That certainly is not what Jesus told us to do.
Please understand, loving does not mean we do not correct one another. However, the language, tone of voice, and attitudes we use will indicate whether we are doing so in a loving way or not. When we love one another from deep within our hearts, we do everything different than the world does. We treat one another with respect. We serve one another. We help one another. We communicate with one another. We even correct one another with gentleness and kindness.
Yes, Jesus rebuked Peter. But that was because Peter was not thinking as God thinks, not because Peter had a different opinion of how-to fish. Getting wrapped around the things of this world and allowing them to get in the way of loving one another is not following Jesus’ command. We need to love one another so that everyone else will know we are Jesus’ disciples.
I pray we all give up taking our cues from the world. I pray we choose to change our hearts to be more like Jesus. I pray each one of us will choose to love one another and show the world we are Jesus’ disciples. Stop following the world. Change your heart. Love one another. Be a disciple of Jesus.
John 13:34-35 “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Marty Pressey 