John 13:34“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35″By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Jesus said that there is something that differentiates you from all the other people on planet earth. That trait is possessing true love one for another. Notice that Jesus said it would not be your intelligence, your ability, or your linage that witnesses to other people about your connection with Christ. The connection that people will recognize most is your love for one another. Loving one another sounds so simple but we all know the application is difficult. Why is loving one another such a big deal in being recognized as a disciple of Jesus?

Love is part of the identity of Christ.
1 John 4:16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. You cannot separate God and His love for humanity. God’s love for mankind is what motivated Him sending Jesus to rescue us from the wages of sin. All of God’s activity on earth is evidence of His love for His people. Therefore, our activity must also be birthed out of a love for God and a love for people.

Love is easily recognizable and impossible to fake.
Love is not just exemplified in the actions you take. Love is exemplified also in the heart beyond your actions. A person can go through the right motions without really loving someone. Perhaps you have been on the receiving end of someone serving you or speaking to you out of a sense of duty rather than love. It’s not that the person is doing the wrong thing; you can simply tell their heart is not engaged in the activity of their life. Loving is not about doing the right things only. It’s about doing those things with a heart of love.

Love is expensive.
Not everyone is willing to pay the price to truly love one another. When you look at a picture of Jesus on the cross it is easy to see that His love for us was expensive. However, if you are going to love one another just as Jesus loved you, then it will also be expensive for you. It may not be physically or financially expensive, though on some level it may be. Loving others is expensive because it requires you giving up your own way. Loving others means denying yourself so that others can partake in what you would like to have yourself.

Love is eternal.
1 Corinthians 13:13 reminds us that one of the things that will outlast your life here on earth is the love you invest in people. It will not be stolen or wasted.

Today’s Challenge: Realize that loving one another is not an optional activity for a believer. Loving one another is a command. It is a command that cannot be forced, but rather it flows from a passionate love for Jesus. Your love for Jesus is what fuels your love for people. If your love for people is waning, then make sure your love for Jesus is intact.