I remember when I was a kid and my mom or dad would say, “Now be nice to your sister.” I might not say it but I was at least thinking, “Why? She isn’t being nice to me. It isn’t fair that I have to be kind to her when she’s being mean to me.”
As a believer in Christ, at times your Heavenly Father says the same thing to you, “Be nice to your brother/sister. . .” Our human tendency is to shout, “No! I don’t want to! Even though she’s a Christian, she isn’t treating me nicely. It isn’t fair that I have to be kind to her when she is being mean to me.” Still your Heavenly Father says, “Be kind to one another.” In fact, He goes so far as to say, “Love one another as I have loved you.” And when you ask, “Why?” He replies, “So others will see that you follow Me.” The way people will know we are Christians is by how we treat them. When we are viewed, they should see a kindness in us. We should have faith and not despair. These qualities come with time and after many years, I’m still working on them. They are key to Jesus’ teaching, and I expect, I will be working on them the rest of my life.
What is the quality of your love toward other believers? Read John 13 and ask yourself these questions:
1. Have I treated my love toward other believers as a commandment, or a suggestion?
2. How do I “wash the feet” (practically serve) of the Christians I am in relationship with?
Pastor Rowena Hall