"Now I ask you, lady, not as though I were writing to you a new commandment, but the one which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it " 2 John 5-6.

The biggest challenge is not in understanding, but in doing. The “lady” that John addressed likely was a local church; a body of believers. Apparently, in light of his appeal, they needed a reminder as to an important priority to focus on and practice. This was not something new, but rather something from the very lips of Jesus on the night of his arrest and suffering: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35).

Loving one another, as Jesus spoke of it, hardly seems like something new. What made it new was that He was about to demonstrate the full measure of the love that He called His followers to practice: “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Such love, not that it should be devoid of affection, would be characterized by active sacrifice and service.

The distinguishing quality of this unselfish love would uniquely identify the followers of Jesus to the world. Much as we might wish that the world would identify us as followers of Jesus by our adherence to certain beliefs, style of dress, and social practices and habits, this one quality alone would be the identifying quality. This is not in any way to minimize the importance of the qualities listed, but sacrificial love is the crown that adorns these things. As 1 Corinthians 13 so well states, all other qualities devoid of love “profits me nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:3).

The reality check for me personally is that I too need John’s reminder. My focus easily shifts to other areas of Christian living, while practicing the new commandment of Jesus is easily overlooked. My sacrificial (agape) love, by comparison, is shallow and fickle. It is love with limits and conditions that ought not to be. In considering the measure of love that Jesus has given and expects, a lifetime will not be enough to realize it even if diligently pursued.

Do we give in to despair, and abandon the pursuit of perfect sacrificial love, in light of our failure? Indeed not. We press on in the presence and power of the perfect One within us who enables us to grow in what He has called us to practice and live.

Be sure to also visit http://thetruthrevolution.wordpress.com/ & https://kingdomdreamer.blogspot.com/

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