Shortly before His crucifixion, Jesus met with His disciples and told them that He would be “with [them] a little while longer” (John 13:33). Knowing this, He gave them instructions regarding how they were to treat one another.
Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another” (John 13:34). When He said that this was a “new” commandment, He did not mean that God’s people had never been instructed to love one another before. But loving as Jesus loved them was new. Jesus was about to give His life for them. They were to demonstrate this same sacrificial love for their brethren.
He then added, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). Some have erroneously used this statement to argue that obedience to the Lord’s instructions does not matter, just as long as we love one another. Yet that was not Jesus’ point. Both are necessary, but the world will not care if we follow God’s word because they have rejected it.
Yet love is universally recognized and valued. When those around us see the love we show for our brethren, they will see the essence of what it means to be a disciple and be drawn to it.
So remember how others will know we are Jesus’ disciples. They will see how we treat one another. We need to show the same type of love for our brethren that Jesus showed for us.