I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. John 13:34-35 NABRE
In the quoted verse Jesus is sharing a new commandment with his disciples, during the Last Passover meal they celebrated together. This new commandment is to love, love one another as he has loved us. This one commandment takes in all that we need to know about being a disciple of Jesus. If we love then people will know we are Jesus’ disciples. To love one another means doing for one another. Forgiving one another. Encouraging one another. Accepting one another. Submitting to one another. Bearing with one another. Restoring one another. Carrying one another’s burdens. When Jesus asks us to love he is asking us to love anyone, anywhere who has a need we can meet. In fact to illustrate authentic love we can do so by doing for those who are nothing like us and may not even like us.
Paul writes what it means to love in 1 Corinthians 13, saying; Love is patient. Love is kind. Love is not jealous. Love is not pompous. Love is not inflated. Love is not rude. Love does not seek its own interest. Love is not quick-tempered. Love does not rejoice over wrong doing, but rejoices in truth. Love bears all things. Love believes all things. Love hopes all things. Love endures all things. Love never fails. Jesus calls us to model these attributes as he does. Loving like Jesus we will see people who may not believe in Jesus or even know Jesus liking people who are like Jesus. People are attracted to people who love as Jesus loved. You can see more on this subject in my weekend reflection – “Indwelling – love one another.”
Do you understand love? Do you know what love requires of you?
When Jesus asks us to love he is asking us to love anyone, anywhere who has a need we can meet. Click To Tweet#bible #godisgreat #jesus #christianity#dailybibleverse @youversion#BeAnEncourager #love #new #John#everybodyalways #god #jesuschrist#jesussaves #godisgood#dailydevotion #biblestudy #scripture#bibleverse #verseoftheday #pray#prayer #goodnews #loveeachother#godisgreat #thisVineyard#youversion #everythingalways