John 13:34-35, John 15, 1 John, and 1 Corinthians 13
Jesus calls us to love one another as he has loved us, but how did he love us? Does he only love us when we love him back? He says if you love me keep my commandments, so unless you are perfectly keeping his commandments then you are not perfectly loving him. Were the Romans loving him when they nailed him to the cross? Did he resist them when they captured him and killed him? No. He loved them literally to death. He loved them even though they did not love him. If we cannot love those who do not love us, then how deep really is our love? If our love vanishes because it was not reciprocated, then is it really love? How shallow must our love be if it refuses to give because it does not get. Love is never failing, never ending, does not seek its own. Charity suffereth long and puts others above oneself. Jesus showed us the ultimate example of what true love is by laying down his life for us while we were yet sinners. He was tortured, persecuted, beaten, and killed for our sakes. All because he loves us, but not with a shallow love; his love is perfect and never ends. That’s the kind of love we should have. We must love one another as he has loved us. We love because he first loved us. The world should be able to see a difference in us, being followers of Jesus, and that difference is that we love endlessly and our love is not selfish. That our love is long lasting. That our love is patient and kind. That our love is not easily angered and always perseveres. They will surely know us by our love.
“This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.” -John 15:12
“By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him.” -1 John 3:16-19
Notes of Charity 