Elemental: S2 - Day 32

John 13:35 “By this all men will know that you are My  disciples, if you love one another.” 

There is something genuinely wonderful  about capping our rebuild with the umbrella  of love. What is more important than hearing  that the Creator of heaven and earth is head  over heels in love with us? It gives me more  patience with my faith when I realize God’s  devotion and risky commitment to us.  

But I have learned that love is best  experienced by giving it away. The love of  Jesus is always on the move. So, accepting  it means allowing it to flow through us. It’s  not surprising that He asks that we love one  another. He says His body of believers will be  known for love.
 
The New Testament writers repeatedly  urge that we love one another. But it’s not  really a request. It’s more of an explanation.  1 Peter 4:8 says, “Above all, love each other  deeply, because love covers over a multitude  of sins.” Despite flaws in our rebuilt house  of faith, if we include the kind of love that  reminds us of God, we’ll be okay.

Let’s pause here to discuss who “one  another” might mean. When Jesus is asked  about the greatest commandment in Matthew  22, He points to love. He responds, “Love God  and love our neighbor.” When asked about  the identity of our neighbor in Luke 10, Jesus  expands our understanding with the parable  of the Good Samaritan. And then, in Matthew  5, He takes it further by saying we shouldn’t  stop at loving our neighbor as ourselves.  We should love our enemies. Apparently, “one  another” is everyone.
 
I recently overheard something on a  podcast that haunts me. A participant said,  “There is no hate quite like Christian love.”  Wow, that’s disturbing. It doesn’t sound like  their experience was about love at all. He was  probably reflecting on how often Christians  are seen fighting, condemning and judging the  world around us while seeming to only love  ourselves. But Jesus won’t justify any reason to  withhold love. His command is universal. Love  one another. Maybe the test of whether we  love at all is how well we love the person most  “other” than us.

Then, right as we’re ready to try loving  everyone, Jesus switches things up. Rather than  loving others as we love ourselves, He asks that  we love one another as He loves us. (John 13:34)  He says this just before going to the cross to  die for us.  

Crosswalk challenges our community  to “Lovewell.” This is big. It means to love  universally and deeply. It calls us to experiment  with new and extravagant ways to sacrifice for  those most different from us. “Lovewell” is a  request to love like Jesus.
 
1. Who do you find irritating and challenging  to be around? Why is that?
2. Are there two people whom you love being  around and naturally connect with? Why  do you think that is? 
3. What characteristic makes you most  difficult to love? What would you like to  say to Jesus about that?