Love
One Another
excerpt from Straight from the Heart
John Bertolucci
"This
is my commandment: love one another as I have loved
you" (John 15:12).
This is
surely one of the most powerful and most challenging lines in all
of scripture. Note that Jesus does not say, "This is my
suggestion." He does not say, "This is my
recommendation." He does not say, "Here's a
pointer that I think will help you out." He says,
"This is my commandment: love one another."
And he
goes on to spell out just what kind of love he's talking
about. He's not talking about the kind of love you see in
the movies or on the soap operas. He's talking about the
kind of love he showed when he stretched out his arms on the cross
and gave his life. "Love one another as I have loved
you."
Love one
another. Care for one another. Affirm one
another. Speak well of one another. Avoid negative
humor -- humor at the expense of someone else. Avoid
sarcasm. Avoid "put-downs."
When you
wake up each morning, say to yourself, "I'm going to be a
person who speaks love, affirmation, and praise. I'm going
to build others up, not tear them down. In this cold,
impersonal world, I'm going to dare to be different. I'm
going to be someone who loves."
There is
tremendous power in this kind of love. There is unspeakable
joy in loving others, and in being loved by others, with this kind
of love. |
