Love One Another

Today’s message was written by my friend Rev. Roger Kunkel, founder of Dial Hope.

Friend of Dial, if you want to test your faith, one good way to do it is to raise this question: “Does my faith make me more loving?” Also, does it inspire me to reach out in compassion and in service to others? Many cults teach their followers the opposite – that everybody outside their group is the enemy… that the church you are now in just isn’t quite as spiritual as they are. But look what Jesus said about this. For him, love was the real measuring stick for healthy faith. In the Bible, love is underscored over and over as the most genuine and reliable sign of mature discipleship.

Remember how Jesus put it: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another as I have love you… By this all know that you are my disciples… (John 13:34-35). And remember how the songwriter expressed it later: “They will know we are Christians by our love, by our love.” A healthy faith means it matters intensely how we love.

Let us Pray: Awesome God, thank you for the Gospel. For its message is that we can grow and change; there is hope in the midst of our despair; there is joy in spite of sadness. Fill us with the radiance of your Spirit, so that your love may stream in and through us, bringing light and life to a world that often walks in shadows and death and terror. Bless our men and women who are serving our country overseas. May they feel our love and prayers. In Jesus name. Amen.