Anyone who has kids knows from time to time they will bicker and squabble. Parents offend wonder “why can’t you guys just get along”. It hurts our hearts when our kids, who we love so much, have times when they fuss and say hurtful things.
The scripture tells us that God wants us to get along with our brothers and sisters also. He is our loving heavenly Father and He doesn’t like it when His kids quarrel. Doctrines, traditions, rituals may be different but that doesn’t have to be a reason to sever relationship or to talk badly of one another.
“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” Psalm 133:1
Jesus spent a lot of his final hours and days talking to his disciples about loving one another. And for good reason – one of them was going to betray Jesus, one was going to deny him and the rest were going to scatter. I think Jesus was trying to prepare them for what was ahead. He wanted their hearts set on forgiveness and not blame; for them to walk together in unity and love so that they could draw on strength from one another.
“I give you a new command: Love each other. You must love each other just as I loved you. 35 All people will know that you are my followers if you love each other.” John 13:34-35
A real sign to the world around them would be the love Jesus disciples had for one another. The love Jesus was talking about is supernatural – the unconditional, never ending love of God in their lives would be a sure sign that Jesus had impacted their lives. There is verse after verse written about our loving one another, letting the love of God flow through us; Jesus spoke many of them and then the whole book of I John is devoted to our loving one another.
“This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.” Jn 15:12
“These things I command you, that ye love one another.” Jn 15:17
“Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;” Romans 12:10
“Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.” Romans 13:8
“For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.” Galatians 5:13
“And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.” I John 3:23
“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.” I John 4:7
“Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” I John 4:11
Anytime God, the Father, puts this much time and teaching into a subject you know it’s important. These are but a few of the verses that I found on love. I’m not sure what any of us will encounter today but I know God’s message for sure – He wants us to walk in love.