Love one another


Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you. A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:33-35)




Love one another — three words that sounds so simple but in fact are one of the hardest things to do. 

Why is it so hard — because it isn't just loving those close to us, our children, husbands, parents and siblings. It is about LOVING everyone, even those you don't like. It is an unconditional love that includes those who are very hard to love —the nasty, the dull, the selfish, the down right mean, the criminal, the terrorist, a leader. They can be people in our own family, our workplace, our church or government. They are ones that we struggle to get along with, let alone love. 

Loving one another is a commandment, it isn't about feelings or our emotions, it is something we must do all the time. We need to find the good in others, we need to seek out those we don't get along with and mend bridges.




Our love must be sincere and true and not just an act, God sees everything and will know if we are not bring truthful. However, it is important to note, that loving others does not mean you become a doormat and allow people to walk all over you. This is particularly the case in domestic violences situations—a wife being abused by her husband. She can continue to love him and walk a godly path, but she does require protection by those who love her and the abuser needs to be confronted in regards to his sins. 

What a differences the world would be if we loved one another and stopped tearing each other down. There would be no more war, terrorism, family violence, gun deaths, road rage, child abuse . . . no more pain, suffering, evil, ugliness, adultery.

Loving one another has real power in changing the lives of others, something we need to remember when we turn these bible verses into action. 

If we dwell on God's love for us (which is immeasurable—beyond our deserving), we can extend our love to others and through our love, those who witness it will see Christlike love. 



Comments

  1. Love is a choice, not a feeling. We have often heard that phrase in our journey as foster and adoptive parents when we have had children in our home who were so full of anger and bitterness they threatened to tear our family in two. It was a hard lesson but one I am so grateful to have learned it

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    1. I can imagine not all children are easy to love and being a foster and an adoptive parent must be very hard at times. It is families like yours that really change lives :)

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  2. Yes, love is definitely a choice - just like anger, bitterness, hatred and such are also a choice. It can be really hard to love some people, as you said, and yet it is so important that we obey the Scriptures in this and love them anyway.

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    1. I agree - just think of all those people who have committed terrible crimes - they are hard to like and even harder to love.

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