Words of Life: An Enduring Legacyනියැදිය

Legacy of love: new kind of command.

As an enthusiastic young Christian in the 1990s, I, like many of my peers, chose to express my faith by wearing a ‘WWJD?’ (‘What Would Jesus Do?’) bracelet. It raises an interesting question: how do you recognise a Christian? By their eloquent preaching? Their acts of service? Their attire? Their words? While these may offer clues, Jesus himself provided the definitive answer: ‘By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another’ (John 13:35 NIV). The way we treat each other is the outward fruit of what is in our hearts. Ultimately, our love for one another should be the clearest sign of our faith.

These verses from John 13 leave no room for doubt about what that love should look like; it is to mirror the love Christ has for his disciples. Throughout John’s Gospel, we see this love demonstrated as sacrificial and self-giving. It is a love that forgives those who fail, seeks justice, speaks truth, reaches the unexpected in unlikely places, offers comfort, and is sent into the world.

Jesus feels so strongly about this that he commands it. And for very good reason. How will the world grasp, and be compelled by, the transformative power of Jesus’ love if his followers fail to show it to each other? How will people understand God’s kindness if Christians are unkind to each other? How will they believe in God’s forgiveness if Christians are prepared to hold grudges and bear resentments against one another? Perhaps this is why William Booth, Founder of The Salvation Army, once wrote: ‘The ruling passion of the true Salvationist is love.’

Today, may we be recognised not by words, appearances, or achievements, but by our love.