Follow Me
The first reading begins with John telling us “This is the message you have heard from the beginning: we should love one another…” Indeed, we have heard that from the beginning. In fact, we find the Golden Rule in the Old Testament. Leviticus 19:18. “Love your neighbor as yourself.” So we don’t actually need to be Christian to believe that… The Jews and most religions of the world have a similar rule. But wait - John goes on to say, “we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.” That is a way higher standard! About 10 years ago, I discovered John 13:34-35 which in my Bible is labeled “The New Commandment.” It says, “I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.” Loving someone as Christ loved requires more. It is unconditional and sacrificial. Armed with this new commandment, whenever I pass one of those stands on the sidewalk where people are proselytizing and handing out religious literature, I stop and with a big smile ask them if they know the New Commandment Jesus gave us. RARELY do they come up with the right answer! (I do it because I enjoy talking to them, not because I want to trick them…It’s hard to find people on the street who want to talk about Jesus!) What implications does this “new commandment” have for you? What one thing can you do to love more like Christ?
Linda Weaver
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