“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another” (John 13:34 NASB).

Jesus loved us by laying down His life for us. This is how we’re to love our brothers and sisters in Christ. We cannot love each other like Christ loves us if we’re more concerned about how another person can help us accomplish our agenda than we areabout seeing Christ’s agenda accomplished in that person’s life. Read that sentence again. 

People aren’t put into our lives for us to use. They’re put into our lives so Jesus can use us in theirs. The goal isn’t what we can get out of people, but what value we can add to them. If we don’t have this attitude, we will cool toward anyone who doesn’t serve our purposes. We’ll get offended, our love will turn hypocritical, and we will turn hyper-critical. Worse of all, the world will not see Jesus demonstrated through us. 

This is because unconditional, sacrificial love for one another is THE distinguishing mark of Christ followers. “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (Jn13: 34). The world won’t see Jesus until they see us loving each other like Jesus. So, brothers and sisters in Christ let us love one another as Christ loved us!

© Paul R Downing, Daybreak Devotions