“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:34 (NIV)
Jesus wants the world to see His followers acting and speaking differently because of their relationship with Him. His words have a twofold purpose in this scripture.
To love one another because this is His most important message – to love. By living His command, non-believers will be drawn to the love message, making the world better. Every day we have situations with others where we have a choice on how we respond. Sometimes the news is incredibly good, and it is easy for us to be happy for the other person. There are other times when there is something not so good, we are to comment on or to act.
Solomon shared the wisdom he had because of his relationship with God. In Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (NIV), he observes, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.”
We can make excuses that we do not have time to help someone deal with a problem or just listen when they need to process what issue is troubling them. But we are called to think beyond ourselves and focus on the other person. God will always give us time and strength when we are being obedient to His ways.
Lord, we are humbled because of the love You have shown us and commit to taking the extra step when opportunities present themselves to help our brothers and sisters with their needs. Most importantly, to be other-centered and expectant for the next occasion when we can lay aside our own lives in order to serve and love someone else. We are ready, Jesus. Bring the people! Amen