Meditations and Exhortations on Discipleship
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another:
just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
(John 13:34-35 ESV)
In these two brief sentences, Jesus gives the unbelieving world the authority and right to judge whether we are his followers by the observable love that they can see that we have for each other. The world has the right to judge us as non-Christians, non-followers of Christ, un-disciples, if they can not see a radically different type of love at work in our midst.
How are you doing? Are you working at your love for your wife, your husband, your children, your brothers and sisters in the church who you sit next too each week? If your non-Christian neighbor saw your interaction with other believers, would something in their soul cry out, “Wow, see how they love one another!”
Let’s work on it together.
ChosenRebel's Blog 
Amen, Bro! I remember the first time these verses came alive to me. It was back in the ’80s (boy am I dating myself.) reading Francis Schaeffer. I had never thought of my life being legitimately put under a microscope by the world. It was convicting then and convicting now as I read your words. Thanks for a healthy reminder…Oh, Lord, I pray you slay my heart to demonstrate your love and truth before a watching world.
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This is so true! God can speak through anything; that includes unbelievers and even donkeys (remember Balaam?) I wonder when people judge/convict us, how many of them, how often their convictions may be inspired by the Holy Spirit. I wonder if God speaks to us through them, calling us to repent of sin and turn to Jesus. Hmmm.
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