Loving One Another

When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ 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.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.” Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times. (John 13:31-38 ESV).

It’s not easy to love other people. They let us down. They hurt our feelings. They pass us over. They discriminate against us. They make us jealous. They oppress us. They ignore us. Love isn’t the first thing that often comes to mind. But before Jesus went to His death, He told us that living a transformed, resurrected life would be by loving one another. I’m afraid that’s not my default position. It’s always easier to feel compassionate toward those who relate to us with good things like friendship, mercy, and graciousness. However, I find the other folks don’t make the cut in my circle. The old nature seems to be awfully difficult to overcome. Competitive energy, superiority, or ambivalence? Distrust, anger, envy, or hate? Bitterness, spite, desire for retribution or revenge? Maybe you feel like you want to get away from others, from their negative influences or bad priorities, or maybe they just wear you out with their troubles, their talk-talk-talk, or their bragging about their successes? The truth is very clear. Jesus says we are to show the world you are now His disciple by obeying the new command to love one another. Earlier in the chapter of our reading we can see the example of Jesus concerning what this love should look like. It was before the Feast of Passover, when Jesus knew that he was about to depart from this world, when Judas was already conniving to betray him, when Jesus understood that the Father had given him all authority and his earthly ministry was almost finished. John tells us that “[Jesus] rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist” (John 13:4). Jesus, knowing that he is the sovereign Lord over everything, puts on an apron and prepares to wash the dirty feet of his disciples. This is a picture of Christian paradox — that wondrous, confusing, upside-down dimension of the gospel that we couldn’t make up. The sovereign Lord washing the feet of his followers redefines the nature of relationships. Where the world has its ranks and high-profile untouchables, the King of glory puts on an apron. This means that we, his people, are never too important for ordinary relationships.