LOVE IDENTIFIES WHO YOU ARE
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“By this all will know that you
are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”—John 13:35
I received a testimony from a woman
who thanked me for praying with her concerning the salvation of her
husband. She contacted me several times
over the years; we prayed that her husband would come to the saving knowledge
of Christ. He would accompany her to
church from time-to-time, pastors would stop and present the gospel to him;
however, nothing seemed to make a difference in her husband’s attitude. Finally in exasperation, she told the Lord
that she was just going to stop nagging him about going to church and living
right. She would continue to pray for him, for she knew that it was His will
for everyone to be saved, but she had said and threatened him with everything
she knew. She said that it felt like a
big weight fell off her back when she decided to quit nagging him. She began to be a nicer person and do extra
things for him that demonstrated how she really felt about him. After a few weeks, her husband began to
notice and asked her why she was treating him so nice. She replied, “Because I love you.” Not long after that conversation with her
husband, he went with her to church and received Christ’s salvation.
When we talked she was excited about
her husband’s conversion, and asked me, after all these years, what I thought
made such a huge change in his attitude.
I replied to her that the Scripture tells us that love covers a
multitude of sins, and that some people are won by the conduct in which we live
our lives (I Peter 4:8; 3:1).
Jesus said that the one
characteristic that would cause the world to identify us as His followers was our love for one another. According to Jesus, the unity of believers
through a genuine God-kind of love is the greatest tool of evangelism for the
church. Although the early church did
not have the massive organizational structures that we see in the world today,
nor the huge financial resources spend in campaigns for outreaches, they had
evangelized the known world in less than thirty years. In fact the pagans of
Thessalonica said of Paul and his companions, “these that have turned the world upside down have come here too” (Acts
17:6).
Jesus gave what is called “the Great
Commission” to the church in Matthew 28:19-20.
“Go therefore and make disciples
of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and
of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded
you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” The fulfillment of the Great Commission
will take place as we walk in love towards one another. We are not to seek what is best for ourselves;
but, in honor, we are to prefer our brothers and sisters and seek what is best
for them. Let love speak volumes through
your life.
Prayer—Father
I ask you to show me how I can express my love for my brothers and sisters, in
Jesus Name. Amen
