At the heart of this message lies a profound truth that challenges us to examine the very foundation of our spiritual lives: love is not optional, it's the badge we wear as followers of Christ. Drawing from John 13:33-35, we encounter Jesus in His final moments with the disciples, giving them what He calls a 'new commandment' - to love one another as He has loved us. This isn't just any kind of love, but agape love, the unconditional, selfless love that only flows from a heart transformed by Christ. What makes our faith unique among all religions is that our God loved us first, even when we were unlovable. He didn't wait for us to clean ourselves up or prove ourselves worthy. This is the love that hung on a cross for people who hated Him. When we grasp this truth, it revolutionizes how we approach every relationship in our lives. The challenge before us is clear: if we claim to follow Jesus, our love for one another becomes the proof. Not our bumper stickers, not our church attendance, but how we treat people - even those who have hurt us, betrayed us, or treated us like garbage. This is where the rubber meets the road in our faith journey, and it's where we discover whether our relationship with God is truly healthy enough to overflow into healthy relationships with others.
