Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. By this we shall know that we are of the truth...

  - 1 John 3.18, 19

...let us all, made perfect with no further blemish, with hatred rooted out, as the disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ, love one another with our whole heart.

  - Columbanus, Letter to the Bishops of Gaul, Irish, 7th century

Here is the supreme challenge and calling of the Christian: love.

We are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

We are to love our neighbors as ourselves and one another in the Body of Christ as Jesus has loved us. The aim and end of all Christian instruction is love (1 Tim. 1:5); therefore, the fruit of all Christian discipleship is love.

Love is the mark of the Christian, as Schaeffer insisted. Where love is absent, especially between fellow members of the Body of Christ, people have a right to question the authenticity of our claim to be followers of Jesus.

Love is expressed in deeds. In communities all over the country today, churches dot the landscape in every part of town, but they have almost nothing to do with one another. They don't worship together, witness together, serve the community together, or even socialize together, sharing resources to meet needs freely and without complaint.

I'm sure such things happen somewhere; rather, I hope they do. But they certainly are not the norm. Church A and Church B have nothing to do with one another; rather, they regard one another with a kind of holy suspicion - as do all the other churches in the community.

Will we ever get over this? Ever stop picking on one another, gossiping about one another, ignoring or vilifying one another - like the Bishops of Gaul were doing to Columbanus and his fellow Irish missionaries?

Everything that divides us and keeps us from demonstrating the love of Christ toward one another must be set aside if we’re ever going to have a meaningful mission to the lost (Jn. 17.21). When will it end?

When, as Columbanus recommends, we put our childish self-centeredness aside and grow up in the Lord.

Then we will love as Christ did, with the unity that He commends (Jn. 17.21).

Psalm 133.1, 3 (Tryggare Kan Ingen Vara: “Children of the Heavenly Father”)
Oh, behold how sweet, how pleasant, when the brethren dwell together;
All in unity abiding find God’s blessing there presiding.

Lord, what I can I do today to begin creating more love for and between Your children?

The Lord's blessings be with you and yours during this glorious Advent season!

T. M. Moore, Principal
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