Samuel D. High
sdhigh@aristotle.net
-----Original Message-----
From: "Smith, Lynn " <lsmith20@Central.UH.EDU>
Sent: Thu, 1 May 2008 06:10:07 -0500
To: "Smith, Lynn " <lsmith20@Central.UH.EDU>
Subject: Morning Manna May 2-BP: Jn. 13:31-35; RBTTY: Lk. 22:1-20; I Kings 12-13
May 2 “The Tell-Tale Sign”
“A new commandment I give unto you: That you love one another as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love one to another.”
John 13:34-35
There’s no way to fake it; we either do or we don’t. . .which reveals if we are or we aren’t.
Love.
Agape love. Self-giving love. Giving with no thought of anything in return love. A God-shaped, God-sized love that’s color-blind. . .not noticing or caring how rich or poor someone is. . .the size house he/she lives in. . .the amount of money they have in the bank or level of education they possess.
That’s what Jesus was talking about in today’s Manna.
His “new commandment” was/is really an amplification of the “Greatest Commandment” found in the Jewish Shema in Dt. 6:4-5: “Hear, O
Jesus simply took it to a new level by adding “as I have loved you.”
Hmm. . .that does shed a whole new light on things doesn’t it?
Assuredly it does.
“As I have loved you:” Being willing to associate with the down-and-outs in life, even though the religious crowd will mock, criticize and condemn you in the process. . . not being afraid or ashamed to stoop down and wash someone’s feet (literally or symbolically) when given the opportunity. . .or reaching out in compassion to someone in need without wondering if you can “afford it.”
No wonder our Master made this the “tell-tale sign” or true “litmus” test of being His disciple. There’s no mistaking His type of love. . .for it feeds the hungry. . . clothes the needy. . .visits the prisoner. . .ministers to the orphans and widows in their times of trouble, etc. (Mt. 25:35-46; James 1:27).
Thus, it’s clear a true follower of Christ will be more known by how he loves than by how many verses of Scripture he can quote. . .or how many times he goes to church. . .or how much he puts in the offering plate, etc. And, it’s important to note that Jesus said “ALL men will know we are His disciple when we love the way He does”—which simply means both saved AND lost people will know the difference.
Currency counterfeiters are becoming much more adept at their trade because of major advancements in desktop printing; however, the expert eye can still tell the fake. But, it doesn’t take an expert eye to tell if someone genuinely loves you the way Jesus does. There’s no faking that; you either have it—and show it—or you don’t. May the Holy Spirit show us today whether or not we’re truly Christ’s disciple; if not, may we repent and not rest until we are and “love others the way He has loved us.”
Thanks,
Mr. Lynn M. Smith
Department Business Administrator
Department of Economics
204C McElhinney Hall
(713) 743-3802 (office)
(713) 743-3798 (fax)
LSmith20@central.uh.edu (email)
http://www.class.uh.edu/econ/ (department website)
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