How do you recognise a soldier in a large crowd of people? It’s the person wearing the army uniform carrying an assault rifle. How do you recognise a scholar? Obviously, by the school uniform.

So, you can identify someone based on what they’re wearing. However, we can get to know more about people by looking at their behaviour. You can recognise a mother from a distance by the way she keeps an eye on her children. You’ll notice the father too as he walks ahead and show the way.

How would you recognise Christians? Are those the people walking into the office with the Bible under their arm? Not necessarily. That I experienced myself when I was still involved in the business world. If you get into bed with people like that, you’ll be the first one who gets burned!

Is it the woman wearing a hat – is that what identifies her as a Christian? Also not necessarily, because a hat doesn’t tell you much about the wearer’s relationship with God. Maybe she’s just going to church.

There is actually only one measure, just one action that really shows that people are Christians, and that is love. Love and living it should be the external proof that you believe in God.

Indeed, Jesus gave us that command. We have to love another the way that Jesus loves us. The love that Jesus has for us is immense. His love for us is so huge that He was prepared to give His life so that we can live. That is true love.

It is exactly that kind of love that we have to live. We have to live that sacrificial love towards one another. There is no place for an own self or focusing on what I can get from it. No, it’s a giving love, where I want to serve and give the other person only the best.

When we go and live this love in the world out there, people will see Jesus and then they will say: “There goes a follower of Jesus. They are Christians, because they do what Christ does.”

The obvious question is whether this is what we do out there in the world. It seems to me as if Christians and churches out there disagree ever so often, and that their way of living love is distinctly tainted. On the contrary, the world often uses this loveless behaviour and says if that is what it looks like to be a Christian, they’re not interested.

We have a simple task: ¹ Stay on good terms with each other, held together by love.

We first have to practise this task with those closest to us. If we can’t get it right with them, we won’t be able to do it right in the world. Go and sit at the table with Jesus and learn from Him. Write down His way of loving and make it part of your way of living.

Then you will be able to do it out there and people will be able to recognise a Jesus love-follower.

Scripture
Hebrews 12:1

Reflection
Do you live in love with all believers?
If there is conflict with someone, when are you going to put it right?
Do you have to forgive someone?

Prayer
Heavenly Father, please help me follow Jesus’ example of unselfish love. Even when it’s difficult! Then other people will see from my example that my life doesn’t just revolve around myself, but that I really love You. In Jesus’ Name, amen.