It should be natural to love our brothers and sisters in Christ. We share the same Father in heaven, we share a common faith, we share a common salvation, we fight against a common enemy and we together seek to save those who are lost. But as with any relationship, conflict and hard feelings can arise and love may be absent. Jesus understood how human relationships are, so multiple times He admonished us to have love for one another. He told His disciples in John 13:34-35 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 15:12-13 “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”
How much should we love one another? Jesus said “as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” Jesus laid down His life for His disciples and for you and me, and demonstrated His great love for us; no greater love can be shown than His laying down His life for us. But Jesus also showed His love for His disciples in other ways. He taught them patiently; He answered their questions, corrected them gently when they misunderstood, and explained the parables to them when they did not understand. His patience was love in action. Jesus acted like a shepherd and protected them; He calmed the storms on the sea and confronted demons and darkness on their behalf. His protection was love in action. Jesus provided for their needs; He fed them when they were hungry, gave them rest when they were exhausted, and comforted them when they were afraid, confused or discouraged. His provision was love in action. Jesus corrected them for their good; He rebuked and admonished them when they needed correction. His correction was love in action. Jesus prayed for his disciples (see John 17); He prayed for their unity, their protection, their joy, and their sanctification. His prayers for His disciples was love in action. These are just a few of the ways that Jesus demonstrated His love for His disciples. Jesus said that we are to love one another as He loved us. What can we learn from the love Jesus had for His disciples that would help us love one another? We should show love for one another just as Jesus loved His disciples.
I believe there are several characteristics of love that we need to remember when loving one another seems difficult. The first characteristic is forgiveness. No human relationship is perfect. There will be times when others will say or do the wrong thing. Peter apparently knew that he had to forgive, but he thought that there surely must be a limit. Matthew 18:21-22 “Then Peter came to Him and said, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.’” Love requires us to forgive one another many times. Since we want to be forgiven by Christ, we should forgive any complaint we have against another. Colossians 3:13 “Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.” Ephesians 4:32 “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” Not only do we forgive, but there should be kindness and tenderheartedness along with our forgiving. We cannot have true love for one another without being willing to forgive.
The next characteristic of love we need to remember is being longsuffering. The word translated longsuffering literally means long-mindedness. We should never permit a trial or provocation to get to the end of our patience. It is stated in the love chapter 1 Corinthians 13:4a “Love suffers long and is kind.” God is longsuffering to us. He suffers our weaknesses, times of ignorance, errors, and mistakes. We don’t always say the best things; we don’t always do the best things. Just as God continues to love us in spite of the way that we are, so we must be longsuffering and continue to love our brother and sister who are also less than perfect. Sometimes they irritate us in what they say or do. We must be longsuffering. Ephesians 4:1-3 “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Bear with one another and don’t give up or quit loving.
The next characteristic of love we need to remember is serving. Galatians 5:13-15 “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!” When we serve one another, we demonstrate our love. Jesus demonstrated His love to the disciples by serving them at the Last Supper. John 13:12-15 “So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.’” Our willingness to serve one another demonstrates our love for one another.
The final characteristic of love that I want us to remember is that in humility we consider that others are better or more important than ourselves. Philippians 2:3-4 “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” It is stated in the love chapter 1 Corinthians 13:5b that love “does not seek its own.” Love looks out for the interests of others.
The new commandment that Jesus gave is that we love one another. He told us to love one another as He loved us. Loving one another includes forgiving one another, being longsuffering, serving one another, and being humble and consider others better than ourselves. I wish to encourage you in your love for one another.