Love One Another

** this is an excerpt of an article I wrote for our mission magazine ** 

In these last months God has been teaching me the importance of loving the people He places around us. It started one day as I watched my two young sons play together in harmony. It was an unusual event, as they always seemed to be quarreling and fighting about something! 

As I watched them I was reminded of the words in Psalm 133: 

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! 

It is like the precious ointment upon the head, 

that ran down upon the beard, 

even Aaron's beard: 

that went down to the skirts of his garments; 

As the dew of Hermon, 

and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: 

for there the Lord commanded the blessing, 

even life for evermore. 

It was indeed good and pleasant to watch my two oldest sons, whom I loved very much, play so harmoniously together! 

Suddenly another thought stuck me. How much more does God enjoy watching His children get along? As I wondered about this, another verse came to mind. John 13:35 says By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. 

In Haiti there is no way to escape being noticed. With our white skin and blue eyes we are constantly being watched. Although this used to bother me, I suddenly saw it for the opportunity it really was. Could people see the love of Christ shining through me in the way I treated others? Or was love something I just liked to talk about and think about; a wonderful idea, but not something I put into practice all the time? 

1 John 3:18 says, My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. 

So how should we act? Philippians 2:14-15 tells us. Do all things without murmurings and disputings. That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;  Matthew 5:14-16 says Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 

What if someone is challenging to live with or is unkind or selfish or simply rubs us the wrong way? Romans 12:18 says: If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. And Ephesians 4:32 reminds us: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. 

So Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 1 John 4:7