“I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
John 13:34-35
I get really disheartened when I see experts in church metrics showing that young people are leaving the church, and what is the most discouraging part about it, is the conclusion to the “why” behind this trend is wrong. The reason isn’t because of not enough engaging services, easier on-ramps, or jumping on the latest trends; ultimately the reason is that the next generation is seeing people who say that they follow Jesus but don’t love like Jesus.
Especially the American church, there is a growing picture of the church becoming something so far from what Jesus set up. Idolizing political leaders and justifying their sin, becoming more and more focused on keeping others held to an extreme standard, and even a new trend of saying empathy is actually leading to sin (What are we doing, guys?).
I wouldn’t want to follow that kind of Jesus either.
Luckily, we get to hold the true story of Jesus and see His true nature in Scripture. One giant love story where our sins separated us from what was a perfect design, and we needed a savior, and God sent His son to be that savior for a debt we could not repay.
That is the Jesus I follow.
He not only did this for us, but calls us to do as He did, which is a high standard. To love others no matter what, to be for the people who don’t deserve it because we ourselves don’t deserve it. To know the beauty of Scripture and not follow the call that Jesus gives us would be a shame, because we have been created by God to show others the light that they so desperately need.
When Jesus tells us that how we love others shows that we follow Him, that’s not a mincing of words, it’s a call to each of us to love one another just as He did. That means every single person around you, people you like and people you might not. Being a light means having to be in some dark spaces sometimes. It means having empathy for your neighbors even if you don’t see the world eye to eye or have different backgrounds that have led you to where you are.
Another way to look at this word from Jesus, is that if you do not love one another, you will not be known as His disciple.
How you live and treat others directly points to who you have placed your faith in.
Is your faith in the world and your own selfish ventures? Or is your faith rooted in the savior and pours out love because of it?
This is what the next (and current) generation is craving, because they crave a relationship with a savior who made a way for them, knowing them fully and offering them a redemptive life of love. Polished services mean nothing if your words and actions don’t reflect the redemptive love of Jesus.
This leaves us (yes, me too) with a challenge, how can I reflect the love of God so that everyone knows that I am a disciple of Christ? The simple fact is that we need to look at the people around us as opportunities to show God’s love and stop letting pride get in the way. That means that you need to be rooted in truth and relationship, because in order to pour out, you need to be poured into. Stop being influenced by voices other than the God who created the universe and created you to be part of it. You are called to love your neighbor, and I think Jesus uses that word intentionally, neighbors are people right next to you, which means every person around you.
Love one another, that is how we will show the world the redemptive love of a savior who has made you and loves you more than anything else. So, go and love one another. Be the light in the darkness, the city on a hill for those who are lost to find refuge in Jesus.
-Your pastor and friend, Joshua.
About the Author: Joshua Thomas is a husband, father, and pastor doing what he can to love others the way Jesus did. You can find him reading a good book, sipping warm tea, taking pictures, or dreaming. He may not have it all figured out, but the journey is the best part. You can find him on the only social media he uses, Bluesky and Instagram
Joshua Writes 