Let Love Be the Evidence

Reflection

One day I was attending a Bible study, many years ago. It was a small, personal church. Friendly, or so I thought. I had been invited by a close friend and was happy to be among believers again. At the time, I was already going through some difficulties, so I welcomed the chance to find community and peace.

But right in the middle of that midweek Bible study, something unexpected happened. One of the members got into a verbal dispute with the pastor. The tension was real. Harsh words, side glances, raised voices. And just like that, the peace I was hoping for seemed to disappear. I remember thinking, is this what love looks like?

Jesus told His disciples that the world would know who they belonged to by their love for one another. Not by their power, not by their knowledge, not by their gifts, but by their love.

And I often think about how those twelve men, called by Jesus to be the foundation of the early church, had very different personalities, backgrounds, and even personal ambitions. There was so much room for division. But love had to be the glue that held them together. Because how could they represent Christ if they were constantly in conflict, full of pride, or quick to tear each other down?

This is the truth we all face today. We can be right about a doctrine or passionate about a cause, but if we cannot walk in love with one another, the message loses power. The gospel is not only spoken, it is lived out in how we treat each other.

To love one another as Christ loved us means to serve without seeking recognition. It means to forgive when it is not deserved. It means to speak the truth in kindness. And when we do this, it points others to Jesus. That is how they will know who we are.

Not by how loud we are. Not by how correct we are. But by how we love.