“By this all
will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”—John
13:35
I
received a testimony from a woman who thanked me for praying with her
concerning the salvation of her husband. She contacted me several times over
the years; we prayed that her husband would come to the saving knowledge of
Christ. He would accompany her to church from time-to-time, pastors would stop
and present the gospel to him; however, nothing seemed to make a difference in
her husband’s attitude. Finally in exasperation, she told the Lord that she was
just going to stop nagging him about going to church and living right. She
would continue to pray for him, for she knew that it was His will for everyone
to be saved, but she had said and threatened him with everything she knew. She
said that it felt like a big weight fell off her back when she decided to quit
nagging him. She began to be a nicer person and do extra things for him that
demonstrated how she really felt about him. After a few weeks, her husband began
to notice and asked her why she was treating him so nice. She replied, “Because
I love you.” Not long after that conversation with her husband, he went with
her to church and received Christ’s salvation.
When
we talked she was excited about her husband’s conversion, and asked me, after
all these years, what I thought made such a huge change in his attitude. I
replied to her that the Scripture tells us that love covers a multitude of
sins, and that some people are won by the conduct in which we live our lives (I
Peter 4:8; 3:1).
Jesus
said that the one characteristic that would cause the world to identify us as His followers was our love
for one another. According to Jesus, the unity of believers through a
genuine God-kind of love is the greatest tool of evangelism for the church.
Although the early church did not have the massive organizational structures
that we see in the world today, nor the huge financial resources spend in
campaigns for outreaches, they had evangelized the known world in less than thirty
years. In fact the pagans of Thessalonica said of Paul and his companions, “these that have turned the world upside
down have come here too” (Acts 17:6).
Jesus
gave what is called “the Great Commission” to the church in Matthew 28:19-20. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and
lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” The fulfillment of
the Great Commission will take place as we walk in love towards one another. We
are not to seek what is best for ourselves; but, in honor, we are to prefer our
brothers and sisters and seek what is best for them. Let love speak volumes
through your life.
Prayer—Father I ask you to show me
how I can express my love for my brothers and sisters, in Jesus Name. Amen
