Love one another - John 13:34

John 13: 34

v34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” 

The point is clear: Christians should love Christians. This love is not a tingling feeling. This is not a love that only moves the senses. I grew up listening to this song.

 “I feel it in my fingers,

I feel it in my toes,

Love is all around me,

And so the feeling grows.”

This song describes love as a feeling which fingers and toes sense. Jesus does not have this type of love in mind (a love that is only sensory). So what is the love that Jesus has in mind? Sacrificial love, that is, a love that denies self but gives to others so that they may benefit. This love was clearly demonstrated by Jesus when he died for sinners like you and me at Calvary. And now he commands that this Calvary love spreads out and reaches everyone of us. This is not a suggestion but a command from our Lord. You and I must do this.

So how can we do this better among us? Let me give you 4 ideas to think about. 

1. Carve out time to pray and check-up.

We are busy people, wouldn’t you agree? Some of us work 18 hours a day. Some of us have daily chores to do, projects to complete, deadlines to meet, businesses to run, clients to meet, extracurricular activities to attend and church responsibilities. This thing called life is busy.

But my dear brother and sister, let us not neglect to sacrificially set some time aside, press pause for a few minutes, take a step back from your busy schedule to speak to God and ask him to bless your brother or sister, to comfort them, provide for them, to grow them, to sustain their faith until our risen saviour returns. And send a message, make a call, share life in order to find out how everyone is doing.

Love by carving out time to pray and check-up on one another.

2. Bear with one another.

We are all different in looks, ages, shape and personality. Some of us are shy whilst others are confident. Some of us are loud and outspoken whilst others speak softly and are reserved. Some of us like to get things done right now whilst others take the long term approach. I can go on and on but you get the point, we all have different personalities.

On the one hand this is good but on the other hand it can create disunity, especially if we think our way is the right way. Churches split; marriages end in divorce, brother stops talking to brother, sister stops talking to sister, parents and children grow further apart because of this.

However, love does not insist on its own way, but is patient. It bears with one another.

3. Be kind to the broken.

We all suffer because we live in a sinful and broken world. If you are not suffering, don't worry it's coming. In my years of observing Christians comfort grieving Christians, and I include myself, I’ve heard and said some things that should not be said. For example, "at least your suffering is light in comparison to others." "It is what it is." "Just have more faith."

Although these come from a good place and are meant to encourage, it does not. Because it’s so vague and implies (unintentionally) that the sufferer is the maker of his own misery which is not always the case. So be kind and stop with the religious platitudes, don’t lecture, tell them your story and ask them how you can be a supportive brother or sister right now, but above all give them the full counsel of God.

4. Confront sin and forgive.

We are all sinners therefore we are going to rub each other the wrong way either by what we say or do.

But do not go away bitter, irritable and upset with how you’ve been treated, instead “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother” (Mathew 18: 15), and forgive him or her. For love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4: 8) and it keeps no records of wrong (1 Corinthians 13: 5 – 6).

My dear brother and sister, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, I leave you with this charge: LOVE ONE ANOTHER BECAUSE OUR GOD IS LOVE AND WE ARE HIS REPRESENTATIVES.