Command to Love

Command to Love


"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.“
John 13:34 NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION

I used to think that Paul was hard to comprehend. He ain’t got anything on Jesus! Jesus’ words seem so simple at first. If He were on earth in our time we might think Him a burned-out hippie; always speaking of love and to just love each other. That seems simple enough. Though I think most people pick easy love situations. We express love for a spouse or family and friends. Now-a-days, the love word is so overused that people love their house or love their jobs or love someone’s new hair-do. We love everything. And oftentimes people love animals and things more than other people.

But Jesus’ teaching takes on a whole new meaning in this same verse. Jesus lays out an example, which throws a monkey wrench into the whole love experience. He says that we need to follow His example, and then love each other in the same way He loves us.

Okay, I don’t know about you, but there are some hard people to love out there. And some of those hard to love people may sit next to you at work, at church or even sit at the same dinner table. Jesus’ love enabled Him to call a group of deserter types His friends. Jesus’ type of love led to a cross, for there is no greater love than that a man would lay down his life for a friend.

I do not think Jesus is looking for us to die on a cross or in front of a firing squad to show love. But He is expecting us to die to ourselves a bit so that we can lavish love and commitment on God and each other. Besides, this type of love we lavish on each other is how the rest of the world can tell that we belong to Christ (John 13:35).