Love One Another
By Dr. Doug Hankins
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.” John 13:34-35 (ESV)
T-shirts. Car magnets. Political issues. Social media accounts.
Social justice causes. Even tattoos (But mainly I’m talking about the grandparents). Each of these examples represent external markers in our society. They are signals of our virtue and signs of our culture. And they are everywhere.
But Jesus had a different sort of external marker in mind for His disciples. He said, “Love one another….” And then He added,
“As I have loved you.” Jesus did not say, simply, “love one another however you understand love.” He raised the bar. He said, “love others the way I love you.” The reason we practice compassion to our neighbors, friends and coworkers is because that’s the way Jesus loves us. Unconditionally. In good times and in bad. Consistently.
Loving like Jesus, the marker of Christians!
Prayer:
Father, may the logos on our t-shirts, the messages of our magnets, and the posts from our accounts be pleasing in your sight; and, may the words of our mouths and the actions of our lives help the people of our community to see your love, experience your love, and come to dwell in your love, beginning right here in Cleveland County, NC today! Amen.