“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” – John 13:34-35
Note what this is: a commandment from Jesus. Not a suggestion. Not encouragement. Not advice. Not instruction. Not an idea. A commandment. Same as the Ten Commandments.
What must we do? Love each other JUST as Jesus has loved us. At the moment He said this, Jesus had just finished washing His disciples’ feet. Soon Jesus would die for them and us. Those are the parameters revealing how we are to love each other. We’re to freely and willingly and extravagantly love our brothers and sisters in Christ not just in the abstract, but by action. We’re not just to love with kind words and positive thoughts but with humiliating and painful acts of service and sacrifice.
In general, Christians in North America are pretty poor at this. We like each other and help each other, but too often our pride, preferences, opinions, and need for power take priority in the day to day. It can’t be this way. It’s rebellion against King Jesus. We can certainly disagree about things, but any time we fight and feud over matters of taste and preference, or let personal slights, past mistakes, and petty insults divide us from other Christians, we’re disobeying Christ.
We must willingly and readily set down preferences, pride, and position to love each other all day, every day. This isn’t optional for Christians, it’s a commandment from our Lord. This is supposed to be the thing that catches the world’s attention and lets them know we’re different because we follow Jesus. We must be famous for our love, unity, and mutual sacrifice and submission to one another. May it be so!