Read the transcript from today's video devotional.
Our Verse of the Day today is Jesus's words to His disciples. This is what He says in John chapter 13 and verse 35: "Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are My disciples." If I were to ask you, "Are you a Christian?" you may say yes, or depending on your response, a lot would say yes unequivocally.
Did you know that the word "Christian" actually was used first in Antioch? According to the Book of Acts, where the people who are called Christians actually didn't call themselves Christians, it was actually the world calling them Christians because of their behavior. It actually wasn't a great compliment back then. It was because of their behavior of being a follower and an imitator of Jesus.
How Can You Prove It?
What does that look like? If I were to ask you, "Are you a Christian?" you say yes. If I look back at you and said, "Okay, so how can you prove that?" Well, Jesus Himself in this verse shared how you can prove it. You love one another, and your love for one another will prove to the world that you are a follower and imitator of Jesus, a disciple.
Take everything else away. Take the time that you give someone a gospel tract. Take the time that you may share something about the Lord with someone. Take it all away and only leave your outward, demonstrated love for your brothers and sisters in Christ. Would your love for your brothers and sisters in Christ prove to the world that you are a follower of Jesus?
I have to tell you, when I was preparing for this, God convicted my own heart as well of things that I was holding on to and withdrawing and pulling back my love for my brothers and sisters because of different things that have happened and or different things that they had done. I had to confess to the Lord and surrender it.
We're All on the Same Team
What makes a difference for our perception of loving one another? It's not easy. Sometimes we can be difficult. I can be difficult. Sometimes you can be difficult to love, and I'm sure it can be difficult to love you, and love one another like this. One of the best ways to view that love is through the perception and understanding - the accurate understanding and perception - that we are all in the same battle and struggle together.
When all of a sudden you start realizing we're all on the same team and they have the same struggle I have, the same struggle - we're all going against the current of the world, and the world is covered with hate and disunity and the struggle and the stress and feeling, the burden that only God can relieve.
We have the ability to support each other, encourage one another, and be unified around this endeavor to go against the current of the world, knowing that we have each other to support, we have each other to encourage. Now all of a sudden, we look at each other as we're on the same team. We have the same struggles.
Instead of kicking on each other, pushing each other down and being divisive because somebody has fallen, how about we raise them back up and say, "I love you. Let's show the world that we can do this together. Let's be unified. Let's get this together and let's be on the same team. Let's strive together, encouraging each other, boosting each other up."
A Challenge for Today
I would encourage you today, take a step back and say, "Is my Christian faith being a follower and an imitator of Jesus? If it were only contingent on proving that by my love for my brothers and sisters in Christ, how would that drive my behavior today?" I would encourage you to take some time and consider that and whatever, however God leads you in that moment and reveals to you, follow that. Demonstrate your love for one another so the world can see that you truly are a follower of Jesus.
