John 13:35 - Your Love Proves

Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.
John 13:35

It is our love to one another that proves we are truly followers of Christ. As the body of believers that he has chosen to be His hands and feet, are we doing a good job of showing we really love one another and are in community together not out of a sense of obligation but because of love?

Community is not an easy thing for anyone. Imperfect humans sharing each other's lives creates friction and conflict. It's so easy to complain about situations and personalities rather than actually dealing with them in a biblical manner. It's also easier to run, always avoiding any sense of discomfort by a change of scenery. I've done both of those in my life, and in doing so I have cheated myself and fellow believers out of what God's ideal for us truly is.

Showing His love. Learning to let love cover a multitude of sins means (cringe) actually making myself forgive people for being annoying, judgmental, or unkind. It means giving of myself, not just the time it takes to attend a service, but to think about the emotional, spiritual, and physical needs of the people who occupy that space with me each week. And not just my friends. The people who I don't know and might be nervous to approach. The person who offended me years ago who I still struggle to feel okay with.

All I know is that I don't want my own perceptions, fears, and hangups to cause the unbelievers around me to think that this whole church thing is a load of crap. If my life doesn't display the glory God intended, why should they care? It's a scary thought. It goes along with the old saying: "People may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do."

I'm going to try to do better.