under a new command

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.

John 13:34

Jesus gave His disciples a clear command: “Love one another as I have loved you.” This was new in the sense that the motivation to obey the command comes out of a loving relationship with our Savior. Unlike the Law, which had as one of its motivation a series of blessings and curses, this “new command” is about relationship, no curses attached. It is motivated by love itself as it calls us to love. We should want to love fellow believers out of our relationship with Jesus, Who always loves us perfectly.

Jesus sets the standard for this kind of love. In the immediate context of John 13, this love was seen in Him serving His disciples by washing their feet. This modeled the kind of love He also gave to us on the cross. And it shows us the love we should seek to have with one another. It is a humble love. It is a tangible love. It is an unconditional love. It is unglamorous. It did not love just to get something in return, in fact initially the whole foot washing love was misunderstood. And this is the way we love like Jesus.

Lord Jesus,

I want to humble myself to love others tangibly as You do. Work on my heart so that unselfishly I might learn to love with no conditions or self-driven motivations. Save me from grandiose self-promotion in my thoughts about love. I want to love well, as You love me well, so the world will know that You live and love in Your disciples.

Amen