They will know by our love (Part 2)
In last week’s post, I emphasized how blessed we are in the United States to live in a democracy. I spoke of the debt we owe our ancestors for their grit, determination, and sacrifice in pursuing our freedom. And, I wrote of Mr. Benjamin Ferencz, a man of Jewish heritage , who at age 99, still works passionately for world peace. You can read that blog in its entirety here, as the background for this second installment.
We just celebrated 243 years since we declared our freedom as the United States of America. Our forefathers believed strongly in freedom of religion–the freedom to choose our religion and worship openly.
But, if you are a Christian, you’ve likely recognized that our faith has come under attack.
What can we do to protect Christianity?
We can show people what it means to be a Christian. We can show them by living the example of our Lord. When we call ourselves Christians, we are saying that we are trying to be Christ-like in our actions. So, what’s that like? Jesus didn’t sin—He was perfect. We know we’ll never achieve His perfection, but we are called to try to be Christ-like. What are some traits that Jesus possessed that we can achieve?
Jesus studied and knew the scripture. When tempted by the devil, Jesus turned to the word of God for wisdom and support.
Jesus prayed with faithfulness and constancy. He often sought a quiet place to pray and always requested that the will of His Father be done.
Jesus was obedient to His Father. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prepared for His death, but He knew what was going to happen. He asked His Father if there was another way. Could God take away the cup of suffering Jesus was about to endure? No, Jesus followed the will of His Father and was obedient, even to death on a cross.
Jesus didn’t give up. He persevered through persecution, ridicule, and betrayal. But, He never quit.
Jesus believes in second chances. When the group of men were stoning the adulterous woman, Jesus intervened. They would have killed her, but Jesus is our redeemer—He believes in second chances. “Go and sin no more,” he told her.
Jesus is forgiving—He didn’t hold grudges. The disciple, Peter, was a brash, impulsive man. He vowed that he would never turn away from Jesus, but we know the rest of the story. Peter denied his relationship with Jesus three times after Jesus was arrested. But, Jesus forgave Peter—Our Lord didn’t hold a grudge. Instead, Jesus entrusted Peter with the founding of the Christian church. “You will be my rock,” Jesus told Peter. He gave Peter confidence to carry out God’s work on Earth. Jesus will also give us the confidence to fulfill the Christian mission on Earth.
Jesus looked for the best in people. Remember reading about the Apostle Paul? Before Paul encountered the risen Lord, Paul was a persecutor of the early Christians. Paul supervised and approved the murder of Stephen. But, Jesus saw something good in Paul and called Him into service. After His conversion, Paul became the greatest Christian missionary in the history of Christianity. Jesus saw the good in Paul and called as an apostle.
I’ve certainly not covered all the wonderful characteristics of Jesus. I’m sure you can think of more. Please share those thoughts in the comment section.
Just a quick review before I get to the trait I believe the most important.
- Jesus knew scripture and effectively used God’s word to protect himself from the devil.
- Jesus prayed.
- Jesus is obedient to God.
- Jesus is persistent and determined. He doesn’t give up.
- Jesus believes in second chances.
- Jesus is forgiving.
- Jesus looks for the best in people.
We can do all these, can’t we? But, is there one that is most important?
Jesus loves.
To show others we are Christians we can let them know that it’s all about love.
It’s about God’s love for us so that he sent Jesus to be our Savior. It’s about Jesus’ love for us so that He chose to go to the cross for us. It’s about our love for our Lord so that we serve Him. It’s about our love for all humans so that we love other people—not just the ones that think and believe like us, but all people.
Jesus tells us:
A new command I give you; Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35
The best way we can protect our faith is to share the love of Jesus with others. Live the way he calls us to live.
Let us show we are Christians by our love.
Prayer: Father, God, Thank you for the greatest gift of love—our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We often feel inadequate in spreading the love of Jesus to others, but with your help, I pray that we can share the Good News of Jesus to all we meet.
Amen! Our biggest impact in this world is not what we say, but what we do. Well said Ms. Katherine. Thank you so much for this inspiring post. Part two was definitely worth the wait! 🙂
Thank you, J.D. I don’t suppose we will ever know the impact of our actions on others, but by living (to the best of our ability) the loving example that Jesus provides, surely we can help make this world a more loving place. Thank you for spreading love, my friend.
Yes and amen, Katherine. They will know we are Christians by our LOVE. And love is a verb. We must show the world the love of Christ that comes from knowing Him intimately as you have pointed out.
Great post!
Thank you, Beckie! And thank you for sharing love through your ministry. When we live as Christians, sharing the love that Jesus has shown to us, we can make a difference. Wishing you a blessed week.
Great list of traits that we should want to aspire to achieve, Katherine! Thanks for the reminder. I’m especially glad to know He looks for the best in people!!
Yes, Julie, me too! There’s so much of “the worst” in me that I’m so grateful for His Grace that sees the bad, but loves me anyway. Hope your day is sunny and beautiful!
Words well spoken. When we keep our eyes focused on Jesus and His example, things are not perfect but they are easier to deal with. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.❤️
If we could only keep our eyes and heart focused on Jesus life would be so much easier. But, like Peter when he tried to walk on water, we sometimes take our focus away from Jesus and we sink. I’m so thankful our Lord’s hand is always ready to lift us when we fall. Wishing you a blessed day, my sweet friend.
Wonderful post that provides specifics for how Christians are supposed to love others based on the traits of our greatest role model. I love how you extracted a list of Jesus’ traits and backed them up with concrete evidence.
Thank you for your encouragement. Jesus has so many wonderful traits that will guide our own behavior if we could just do it! Thankfully, He has infinite patience with us. We are so blessed!
One problem with the world’s view of Christianity is that we don’t always imitate Christ. We become judgmental and angry and the world sees no difference in us and them. The more we feed on His Word the more of Jesus will come out of us. As you pointed out, He is our perfect example.
I agree, Barbara, and I’m guilty! When I share harsh words with my spouse or lose patience with a discourteous driver, I’m not imitating Christ. I guess like all of us, I’m writing about my own faults while making suggestions (and praying about) how to do better. I’m so thankful we have a loving, compassionate, and patient Savior as our guide.