When I was a kid, my parents made it very clear that I represented my entire family everywhere I went, whether that was at school, my friend's house, or at my after-school activity. As a result, specific behavior was expected from me. My parents expected me to treat people with kindness and to live with integrity in all circumstances because my behavior reflected the rest of my family, too. On a much larger scale, because we are followers of Christ, Scripture teaches that we are representatives of Christ in everything we do. That means all of our words and actions must reflect the God whom we love. When we love others around us, we are showing them Christ's love for them.
Jesus explained that our actions point others to Him, including the way we love others, in John 13, a passage of Scripture that took place shortly before Jesus' death. In this passage of Scripture, Jesus explained that His time on earth was coming to an end (verse 31). In light of this truth, Jesus told His disciples, “Now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other” (verse 34). Jesus revealed that He had set an example of sacrificial love that His disciples were to follow. Jesus continued His teaching about love, saying, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples” (verse 35). In some of His last moments with His disciples, Jesus wanted them to know that their actions, particularly their love for others, would point people to Him, their Savior whom they followed. They already represented Jesus wherever they went because they were His disciples, but after Jesus’ death, this truth would take on an even greater meaning. They would be the representatives on earth who would point people to Christ. How would people know they followed Christ? People would know they were Christ's followers by the way they loved. It was their love that pointed others to Christ, not their power or their particular gifts and abilities but their love. After all, God's love has changed the world.
What was true for Jesus’ disciples is still true today for you and me. We are Christ's representatives on earth today. How will people know that we are Jesus' disciples? People will know that we follow Jesus by the way we love. This calling is weighty, but it is also an honor. May we remember with every word we say and everything we do, we represent Christ and His love to the watching world.
Write down John 13:35 on an index card, and place the card somewhere where you will see it often. Whenever you see the index card, let it be a reminder to you that as a Christ follower, you are called to love the people around you in such a way that your love points others to Christ's love for them. Commit to demonstrating His love to everyone around you as you go through throughout your day.
1Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. 2 It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. 4 So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.
6 When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7 Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.”
8 “No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!”
Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.”
9 Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!”
10 Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
12 After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? 13 You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. 14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. 15 I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. 16 I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. 17 Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.
18 “I am not saying these things to all of you; I know the ones I have chosen. But this fulfills the Scripture that says, ‘The one who eats my food has turned against me.’ 19 I tell you this beforehand, so that when it happens you will believe that I am the Messiah. 20 I tell you the truth, anyone who welcomes my messenger is welcoming me, and anyone who welcomes me is welcoming the Father who sent me.”
21 Now Jesus was deeply troubled, and he exclaimed, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me!”
22 The disciples looked at each other, wondering whom he could mean. 23 The disciple Jesus loved was sitting next to Jesus at the table. 24 Simon Peter motioned to him to ask, “Who’s he talking about?” 25 So that disciple leaned over to Jesus and asked, “Lord, who is it?”
26 Jesus responded, “It is the one to whom I give the bread I dip in the bowl.” And when he had dipped it, he gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. 27 When Judas had eaten the bread, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus told him, “Hurry and do what you’re going to do.” 28 None of the others at the table knew what Jesus meant. 29 Since Judas was their treasurer, some thought Jesus was telling him to go and pay for the food or to give some money to the poor. 30 So Judas left at once, going out into the night.
31 As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, “The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory, and God will be glorified because of him. 32 And since God receives glory because of the Son, he will give his own glory to the Son, and he will do so at once. 33 Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can’t come where I am going. 34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
36 Simon Peter asked, “Lord, where are you going?”
And Jesus replied, “You can’t go with me now, but you will follow me later.”
37 “But why can’t I come now, Lord?” he asked. “I’m ready to die for you.”
38 Jesus answered, “Die for me? I tell you the truth, Peter—before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.
