I have about forty-eight references that fit under how Christians love one another. Serving (1 Peter 4:10), praying (James 5:16 ), and being hospitable (1 Peter 4:9 ) are three. Burden sharing (Galatians 6:2) is another, as is forgiving (Colossians 3:13).
The one that has captured my attention is 1 John 4:12, "No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us." In other words, like Jesus explained God to everyone while He was on earth, we explain God to other people when we love each other. When we are hospitable and when we pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ we are treating them the way Jesus would have if He were still here.
How is your explanation of God going?
I have to admit that mine is selective - based on time constraints and personality preference. But this verse is not meant to beat us over the head when we do not imitate Jesus perfectly. Every time we love another Christian in practical ways like serving, forgiving, or burden sharing, we show our family resemblance to Christ. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can do that more and more often until we reach "a mature man, the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ." (Ephesians 4:13)
When you see someone who is "loving one another" in the next week, give them some encouragement to keep going. And take a picture. I could use an illustration for this segment.
Rachel Potter
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