Rev. Richard Smith
| John 13:33-35 Words of Jesus A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. |
Few words are more promising or haunting than Jesus’ words that lives of love are the principal way people know we are his followers.
Yes, we need to be people who read, study, and find purpose in the Bible. Yes, we need to be regular in worship and share with others the meaning and power of regular worship. Yes, we need to be involved in ministries and programs of the church where our volunteer efforts are needed. Yes, we need to participate in Christian education classes and become more knowledgeable of Christian doctrine and theology.
But, what really matters, what really tells others who we are, what really inspires others to want to know more about Jesus, what really sends the clear signal that we are serious about living faithfully, is how we love!!
As far reminded us in I Corinthians 13, knowledge without love and piety without love and prophetic wisdom without love are empty spiritual expressions.
So, what does Jesus-centered love look like? What makes “his” love different than any other so-called example of love?
- Jesus style love posits every person as a child of God. This is foundational. This is fundamental. This is where self-giving love begins. We give credence to those whom we encounter that they are children of God; persons whom God loves.
- Jesus style love listens. You don’t need a tutorial in the difference between hearing and listening. When we hear others, are we committing to listen? Are we seeking to give them a chance to help us better understand them? Are we open to trying to understand his or hers perspective?
- Jesus style love is sacrificial. The New Testament word for Jesus-centered love is “agape”. Agape is self-giving love. It means we are willing to let the needs of another stand on center stage with our needs. It means we are willing to sacrifice some for the good of the other. It means our desires and our needs must not minimize the very real needs of another.
- Jesus-style love seeks to be generous. This isn’t just generosity of financial resources. It’s also generosity of time. Generosity of conversation. We each have to determine what God expects of us per our resources and per our time, but it goes without question that following Jesus calls forth a generous spirit and a generous heart.
I heard recently a riveting spiritual truth; a truth which undergirds this call to love from Jesus…Act in such a way that you are living proof of a loving God.
Amen and amen!!
