My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. - John 15:12
Image linked from thesituationist.files.wordpress.comHow have Jesus loved me? He has loved me (and everyone of us) unconditionally and faithfully. What did he do out of love for us? He died on the cross to save us from our sins.
So how am I going to be able to love other people as He has loved me?
Am I able to love other people unconditionally and faithfully? Honestly, loving other people, even with conditions attached is difficult enough. Personality clashes happen. Expectations were often set but not met. We filter through our acquantainces to have a smaller circle of people whom we label as friends. And then we filter some more to have an even smaller circle of good friends. And then we have this one single best friend. Not forgetting, we also have this girlfriend/boyfriend/husband/wife. Whether before or after all these "filtering", loving is still a challenge!
What am I capable to do out of love for those around me? I may buy Christmas and birthday presents for them. I may call them more often. I may cook or bake a cake for them. But compared to Jesus, what I'm doing is really superficial and seriously, doesn't really require much effort.
As I reflect upon this Bible verse, not only do I see my own inadequacy in loving, but also how magnificient is God's love for us. Earlier in John 3:16, we were told that
The least that we could do is to appreciate the love that other people has showered upon us, whether shown in a small scale or great magnitude. It'd have been only about accepting with grace, not even about giving yet. Can?
On a related note, I found this YouTube video which is a splendid and amazing collection of bible verses which are put together to become a "love letter" from God, to us. I find it very touching and even useful as a reminder to us about our faith.
So how am I going to be able to love other people as He has loved me?
Am I able to love other people unconditionally and faithfully? Honestly, loving other people, even with conditions attached is difficult enough. Personality clashes happen. Expectations were often set but not met. We filter through our acquantainces to have a smaller circle of people whom we label as friends. And then we filter some more to have an even smaller circle of good friends. And then we have this one single best friend. Not forgetting, we also have this girlfriend/boyfriend/husband/wife. Whether before or after all these "filtering", loving is still a challenge!
What am I capable to do out of love for those around me? I may buy Christmas and birthday presents for them. I may call them more often. I may cook or bake a cake for them. But compared to Jesus, what I'm doing is really superficial and seriously, doesn't really require much effort.
As I reflect upon this Bible verse, not only do I see my own inadequacy in loving, but also how magnificient is God's love for us. Earlier in John 3:16, we were told that
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.Now in John 15:12 and also John 15:17
This is my command: Love each otherwe are reminded to give our love those around us too.
The least that we could do is to appreciate the love that other people has showered upon us, whether shown in a small scale or great magnitude. It'd have been only about accepting with grace, not even about giving yet. Can?
On a related note, I found this YouTube video which is a splendid and amazing collection of bible verses which are put together to become a "love letter" from God, to us. I find it very touching and even useful as a reminder to us about our faith.
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