2. Love Others

On equal footing with the fruit that we bear through our faith in Jesus is the way we love each other.

Jesus told his followers that loving each other was how others would recognize them as Christians:

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” – John 13:34-35

And then the Apostle John strengthened that by saying that those who don’t love, actually don’t know God:

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” –1 John 4:7-8

Jesus went on to list loving others as the second-greatest commandment for all of his followers:

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’" – Matthew 22:37-38

Then just to make things crystal clear, Jesus told a whole parable about who these neighbors are that we should love as ourselves.

Remember the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37)? In that example, Jesus shows us that loving your neighbor means reaching out in love to those who you may not normally associate with.

Stronger yet, Jesus expanded on that idea, telling us to love even those who you might consider your enemy – those people who hate you and want nothing good for you:

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. … Do to others as you would have them do to you.” – Luke 6:27-28,31

Love others – it’s what Jesus followers do. So, if you’ve truly accepted Jesus as Savior, then your desire will be to do this too – even when it’s difficult!

Besides friends and family, who might you be loving today and how does that love show up?