‘By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.’ John 13:35 NKJV
While the Bible doesn’t give a description of what Jesus looks like, people have wrongly tried to portray Him in paintings or films. What Jesus looks like is not important. It’s what He represents that matters. In John 13, Jesus tells us what He is all about and what He wants us to be all about – and it’s love! In the upper room, Jesus recognised that His time was short. The cross was looming, Judas was about to betray Him, and He had to prepare His disciples to continue without Him. It’s like asking a pastor, ‘If you had one last sermon, what would it be?’ Or asking a teacher, ‘What great truth would you most like to convey to your students?’ Or asking parents, ‘If you could tell your kids only one thing, what would it be?’ Jesus spells it out: ‘“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 13:34-35 NKJV). Like a last will and testament, Jesus’ final message is important not only because of its content but because of its tone and timing. It sums up His life and our responsibility to God and to others – to love them! Now, since love isn’t what you say but what you do – today go out and find practical ways to express God’s love to those you meet. They will feel good, and you will too.
SoulFood: 1 John 1:1 – 3:10 John 8:1-11 Ps 123 Pro 25:18-20
The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright 2023
