In the post, What is Love, I listed 5 verses where Jesus is very clear what it looks like to follow Him. To Love one another is the second of Jesus’ teachings I highlighted.
By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another.”
John 13:35 NASB
This verse is right after Jesus gives the new commandment to love as he loved us. He says when we follow that command it will be clear to people that we are His followers.
What Jesus says is obviously true, but from my experience nobody has heard I’m a Christian and assumed I’m loving. Sometimes my walk as a follower of Jesus has mirrored my life as a black person in largely mixed or white environments.
I was in advanced classes and schools from middle school really through college. During that time, I started to realize I was usually one of the few black people in these classes/schools. I felt a real pressure to represent black people well. I was one of the few POCs that some of these people would interact with directly. An unconscience goal to be a counterpoint to all the stereotypes developed. I wanted to make sure they’d seen an exception to any lie they had been taught and hopefully realize they’d been taught a lie in the first place.
As I’ve sought to follow Jesus I’ve felt a similar responsibility. I want to, Lord willing, present a full picture of a disciple of Jesus. Hopefully, people will have a counterpoint to whatever misconception of Jesus they’ve previously experienced or seen portrayed. I want to be an ambassador for Jesus.
Ambassador (noun)
1. an official envoy: a diplomatic agent of the highest rank accredited to a foreign government or sovereign as the resident representative of his or her own government or sovereign or appointed for a special and often temporary assignment
2.a. an authorized representative or messenger
2.b. an unofficial representative
Merriam-Webster
Governments send ambassadors to make sure their message is being presented correctly or that people have a proper understanding of their country. Jesus calls us to do the same thing. Even if people think they know what a Christian or follower of Jesus looks like, we are to follow our Kings commands to show people the true message and actions of our kingdom.
Some people don’t know our kingdom’s number one export. It is up to us, Jesus’ followers, to show them that our number one export is love.
Lord willing, I’ll see you tomorrow.
Love the analogy of representing your race and representing Jesus. With our race it’s us deciding with Jesus it’s Him asking us to walk like Him