Thoughts on Today's Verse…

“Loving one another” is a requirement from the Lord for Christians, but in real life, we often find it challenging to practice, and sometimes relationships with our brothers and sisters become strained due to negative emotions such as resentment and jealousy. How can we truly achieve “loving one another”? Read this reflection on John 15:12 to gain some inspiration.

The Lord Jesus said, “This is my commandment, That you love one another, as I have loved you” (John 15:12). Each time we read this scripture, we can sense the importance of the command to “love one another” in the words of the Lord. As Christians, we aspire to fulfill this requirement, aiming to live in harmony and love with our brothers and sisters. However, in reality, we often find ourselves bound by the chains of sin, struggling to genuinely practice love for one another. For instance, when someone wrongs us, even if we manage to restrain our words, resentment may linger in our hearts, making it difficult to let go of our biases against them. Sometimes, when others’ actions touch upon our dignity or interests, we may immediately feel jealousy, rejection, or even have the urge to vent our dissatisfaction, engage in competition, or suppress others. Living in such conditions, there is no normal relationship among brothers and sisters, let alone achieving “loving one another.” The relationships become as complicated and frightening as those among unbelievers of the world. So how then can we truly love one another? God says, “There must be principles to how the brothers and sisters interact. Do not always focus on others’ faults, but reflect on yourself frequently, be proactive afterward in admitting to another what you have done that constitutes interference or harm to them, and learn to open yourself up and fellowship. This will allow mutual understanding. What’s more, no matter what befalls them, people should view things based on the words of God. If they are able to understand the principles of the truth and find a path to practice, they will become of one heart and mind, and the relationship between brothers and sisters will be normal, and they will not be as callous, cold, and cruel as the unbelievers, and so will shed their mentality of suspicion and wariness toward each other. The brothers and sisters will become more intimate with each other; they will be able to support one another, and to love each other; there will be goodwill in their hearts, and they will be capable of tolerance and compassion toward each other, and they will support and help each other, instead of alienating each other, being envious of each other, measuring themselves against each other, and secretly competing and being defiant toward each other” (The Word, Vol. 3. The Discourses of Christ of the Last Days. The Principles of the Practice of Entering the Reality of the Truth). God’s word provides guidance for us. To truly love one another, the crucial step is to pray to God when we struggle to let go of resentment and biases. We must shift our focus from others to ourselves, then quietly come before God for self-reflection: In this environment, what corrupt dispositions have I shown? Have my actions aligned with the Lord’s will? Are they displeasing to God? Recognizing the severity of our corrupt dispositions naturally helps us release prejudices against others. We can then openly admit our mistakes, communicate the truth together, open our hearts, and strive to live by God’s word. By doing so, can’t we transform resentment into tolerance and indifference into genuine understanding between ourselves and our brothers and sisters? This way, won’t we be able to love one another?

Certainly, after humanity was corrupted by Satan, many sinful natures and satanic dispositions reside within us, often causing us to involuntarily harbor resentment and contend with each other. If the satanic dispositions within us are completely purified, it would be much easier for people to love one another and coexist harmoniously. If you wish to understand more about the truth regarding this aspect, please contact us through the online chat window at the bottom of our website. We will share with you how to recognize and shed sinful natures, live out normal humanity, and achieve mutual love among people.