Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Today’s Reading  |  John 15:12–17                   
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.” (NRSV)

Reflection
On first glance, this may seem like an easy command: “Love each other.” It is easy to love our friends. They have our values; there is good chemistry. Friendship opens us up to vulnerability and sharing not just the good in our lives but also our troubles. It means that we share when our faith journey is strong and when we falter. The fruit that we bear is that we show friends that even though we may have a good life, we often struggle and are not perfect.

The harder part is that Jesuscommands us, as his disciples, to love all people. This is willful love. Equally important is that we are open to and loving in listening, responding, and helping whenever we can to the struggles of others. We bear the fruit of opening our hearts and hands to all people. Let’s face it, there are some Christians we like, and there are some we don’t like. We need to love them even when we don’t like them, because love is God’s command to all members of his family.

This Bible passage begins and ends with the command of “Love one another.” This means it is not an option in our life. We need to make daily efforts to respond with love—regardless of how we feel—toward all people at all times.

Lastly, love means selfless service to others. How can we “wash the feet” of those around us? The extra time at Coffee Hour saying hello to the homeless men and women in Anderson Hall, helping an elderly person with their coat, and saying thank you to our Sunday School teachers are all expressions of love. Being disciples in service to others is love too.

Prayer
Lord, you have loved me with willful love. Now I pray that this same love would flow through me to others unconditionally and wholeheartedly. Amen.

Written by Lola Coke, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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