Turn on the high beams…love one another
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.
Philippians 2:1-2
Over the last couple of weeks, there seems to be a change in the air. Have you felt it? Does it seem like there is growing blame, fear, and tension? And if we’re honest, sometimes it’s hard not to let negative thoughts creep in, or “get fired up” from a newscast, an article, or when scrolling through social media. What would Jesus do? How would He bring calm to these storms, give encouragement when we feel overwhelmed, and hope when we feel hopeless?
He would share the light of His love.
Love one another
In John 13: 34-35 Jesus lays it out plain and simple, “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.”
Loving others today, can stop tomorrow’s fear in its tracks. Sharing His love refocuses our view outward, to others. Seeing value in each other stops us from being boastful and single-minded. Jesus gave us this command, and we can live this command – it’s not always easy, but it is possible.
The Message Bible shares a compelling translation of Paul’s inspiring comments from Philippians 2:14-16, “Do everything readily and cheerfully—no bickering, no second-guessing allowed! Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night so I’ll have good cause to be proud of you on the day that Christ returns. You’ll be living proof that I didn’t go to all this work for nothing.”
Our light of love for each other is the beacon of hope for others to see and feel everywhere. Jesus, the very light of the world, lives in us. Let’s turn the high beams on!
A champion of the faith, apologist, author, and our friend, Ravi Zacharias was certainly a beacon of Jesus’ light. The light of the world welcomed him into eternal glory earlier this week, and he’s now enjoying the Heavenly banquet with Moses, Joseph, Elijah, Paul, St. Augustine, C.S., Billy, and all the saints. Please join us in continued prayer for his family, ministry, and the lives he touched around the world.
“Love is hard work. It is the hardest work I know of, work from which you are never entitled to take a vacation.”
Ravi Zacharias