What is Love?

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

The word love can mean different things to different people. People will express love for a particular type of chocolate, for a car, for their football team, for their favourite holiday destinations.

The love Jesus is referring to is not the attraction based on sexual desire or affection felt by lovers; it is not the affection based on admiration or common interests for something for example admiration for one’s football team or political party. It is not even the strong affection for another person stemming out of personal bond or ties for example a mother’s love for her child.

The love Jesus is referring to is the sacrificial, unselfish, loyal, and benevolent, caring, compassionate love, and concern for the good and wellbeing of another. It is the love that goes out of its way, that gives oneself fully and unreservedly for the benefit and good of others.  

This love is not proud, arrogant or selfish. This love does not discriminate, it does not judge, it does not boast. This love is forgiving, it is the giving of oneself, it gives when others are not or have stopped giving. This love does not demand to be served instead it serves others.

Jesus poured Himself into His disciples. Ordinary men with ordinary background, He identified with their background, He loved them, taught them, ate with them, was patient with them and shared their pain and frustration.

Jesus served them by washing their feet including that of Judas Iscariot even with the knowledge that he would betray Him. This is Christ’s humble, self-sacrifice love in action through service.

As Christ disciples, unbelievers and people, in general, should not know us by our doctrinal distinctiveness or by our denominational affiliation or by our charismatic preaching or by the edifice we build. We should be known by the deeds of love we show and perform towards one another.

Our love for one another should not be based on what we can get back. Too often we love and express love to others because we know we can expect to get something back from them.

Jesus had set the example of love for His disciples and for us. He does not expect anyone to do anything that He Himself has not already done successfully. 

Considering that humans love themselves so much, how easy is it to love and express love to one another?

The command to love one another based on Christ’s example, I believe is a big challenge for believers. This is not a command that will be easy or natural for us to obey, to carry out or to outwork in our everyday life.

Jesus said ‘’Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me…for without Me you can do nothing.’’ John 15:4-5 NKJV

Abiding in Christ and His word is the key to successfully outworking the command to love one another.

Let us commit today and resolve to have love for one another remembering that without Christ, we can do nothing, but we can do all things through Christ who gives us the strength.

Stay blessed,

Alex