How do you tell a Christian from the world?
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you , so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
John 13:34-35 New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY’S VERSE…
How do you recognize followers (His disciples) of Jesus? How do you know who are true Christians? Jesus said they love each other and the World just as He loved His disciples. There are no “Undesireables” as far as Jesus is concerned, He has only love (Unconditional God-kind of Love) in His heart for ALL. He hates SIN, but loves people. Unconditional Love, that’s how Jesus loves and that is how we are to love also. This meant He was willing to give sacrificially and selflessly by dying for them on the cross, and He was also willing to love selflessly and practically by becoming their servant to the extent of even washing their feet. Imagine if we all read the Gospels, and committed to love each other in the same way Jesus showed His love to His disciples! Unconditional love for one another! Are you a disciple (a follower of the teaching) of Jesus? Then there should be no “Undesireables” in your life either. You should love everyone with the ‘Agape’ love of God. This is not the physical love that most people think of, it is a spiritual love. Glory to God He loves me just the same as He loved His original twelve disciples!
MY PRAYER…
Father of Compassion, and God of all grace, I thank You for teaching me to love through the example of Jesus, for removing the thought of “Undesireables” from my life. May my words and actions begin to reflect the same resemblance of His love toward Your people today. May the Holy Spirit, through His working within me begin to produce that Christ like unconditional love within me that Jesus had for the multitudes. Through Christ, my Great Example, I pray.
Amen