These things I command you, so that you will love one another. John 15:17
Why is it that we are “commanded” to love? Wouldn’t it be better if we were invited to love others? Isn’t it true that no one can make us love another person? And if we love out of duty are we really loving at all?
There have been any number of people in my life that I personally have not liked to be around. Over the years, however, I have discovered that my life is about more than getting along, or obtaining what I want, or experiencing pleasant circumstances.
As a Christian, my life is no longer my own. I have been given the grace to experience the absolute love of God poured out on me and the only response to that overwhelming and limitless gift of God’s love and grace is to return love for love in as complete a manner as possible.
Jesus stated, at the Last Supper: “This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.” No, it is not a suggestion, if I feel like it, if it works out, or if it is to my benefit. That is not the way Jesus loved us and is not the way he commands that we love one another.
I will love you, I can say even as I wrestle within a relationship, but I may not agree with you.
I will love you, even in moments I don’t really prefer being around you.
I will love you, even when I take steps to protect myself from your behaviors.
I will love you because Jesus has loved me and because Jesus loves you.
Love gives meaning to all the other commandments.
Love gives meaning to every suffering.
The power of love alone can give ultimate direction even to the hard realism of economics and politics and social strife and issues of social injustice and disparity. Love alone can break these open so they serve the world in charity.
Just before his death, Jesus talked about love, unity, friendship, glory, and joy, that the love the Father has for Jesus may be in us and that Jesus may be in us. If we focus on love, all else will follow.
Love will lead us to unity and glory and joy, as Jesus is in us and we in him so that we may be brought to complete unity.
This love is the bedrock of our Christian life. If we miss this we have missed everything. The “command” should make it really stand out to us so that we keep this front and center in our journey to becoming and loving like Christ.
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