Love

"I give you a new command: Love each other. You must love each other as I have loved you. All people will know you're my followers if you love each other." John 13:34-35

There's a reason Jesus says that our love for one another will be a distinct mark, separating us from the rest of the world. The love Jesus is referring to in this passage is likened to how He loved us.

How did Jesus love us?

Unconditionally. Without merit. Simply because.

We are to love others is this same way. We love beyond faults. We love despite wrongdoings. We love despite persecution.

If you think about it, loving the way Jesus loved is the most supernatural evidence of the work God has done in our lives.

Why?

Because it is not in our nature to love those who hate us, wrong us, and persecute us. Our natural inclination is to get even. We want to see the person suffer. We want justice.

When we live within a community of believers, we are going to face conflict eventually. We are going to cross paths with someone we do not necessarily like. Someone is going to let us down. When that situation happens, we have an opportunity to present to the world who Jesus is, and what His power is capable of accomplishing within us, by responding with love.

I find it very interesting that the "Love Chapter" in the Bible, 1 Corinthians 13, directly follows the description of the gifts of the Spirit (Chapter 12). One can surmise that surely the gifts of the Spirit would be evidence enough of who God is and what He can accomplish, but that is not the case. I think we need to read both of these chapters together to really get the point Paul is trying to make. He concludes chapter 13 stating that the greatest of all gifts is love.

Our love for one another will ultimately be the greatest witness to a doubting world, because they cannot argue against it. They can doubt our prophecy and say that we have some inside information. They can doubt us speaking in other languages, writing us off as lunatics. They can even doubt healings and miracles. But one thing they cannot deny is love.

When we can love as Jesus loves, we will grab the attention of the world and leave them wondering what the difference is between us and them. This is how they will know that we are His disciples.