Walk In Love

By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. -John 13:35 (ESV)

Are you a Christian? Has anyone ever asked you that before? Or have you asked someone else that question? Sometimes it’s quite apparent when you meet a fellow believer. I think it’s because our spirits recognize each other. At other times, it’s not so easy.

After Jesus ascended into heaven to be seated at the Father’s right hand, the early Christians experienced persecution. So, to identify each other, they would use the fish symbol, which we see today on all kinds of merchandise, including bumper stickers and jewelry.

However, Jesus taught His disciples that there would be another way to identify each other. He said that even those who do not follow His teachings would recognize us by our love for each other.

Our ability to love each other unconditionally, without expecting anything back, forgiving without being asked, loving the unlovable correlates directly with our relationship with our Lord and Savior.

We love because He loved us. And if we do not love others, we cannot love God. If you love God, you must love others, for God is love. -1 John 4:7-21

You Can’t Fake It Until You Make It.

If, after the Holy Spirit showed me something that I needed to work on (like a character trait), I used to believe I could fake it until I made it. But this is not true.

When God saves us, He puts a new heart in us. He takes out the heart of stone and replaces it with a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26). The Spirit immediately takes up residence in our hearts and begins His precious work in us (1 John 4:13). Firstly, to be sensitive to the voice of our Shepherd (John 10:27); secondly, to have the ability to change the things He instructed us to change (Philippians 4:13).

So instead of faking it, I now try to grow in grace and mercy by reading God’s Word, praying for the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and meditate on the ways Jesus treated others.

Romans 12:9-13 encourages us to allow our love to be genuine, hate things that are evil, and hold on to things that are good.