Come on people now, smile on your brother Everybody get together, and try to love one another right now
Get Together written by Chet Powers-Recorded by the Youngbloods 1967
Can we overlook our differences and love one another? In today's world it seems almost impossible. Yet are we so different today than in other times?
Remember the woman at the well? She was a Samaritan, the Jews had nothing to do with these people, yet Jesus opened his heart to her, saved her, and saved many in her village. Jesus showed us the way. He came to unite us and stop the division.
As Christians we should be opening our hearts too, and leading the way for all to see.
Who is my Brother?
Jesus once told the Parable of the Good Samaritan when asked “Who is my brother?” In this parable Jesus (Luke 10:25-37) shows that it is basically anyone in need and not someone who is only a blood relative. So brotherly love is shown to all men and women who need help at various times in their lives, just as we do from time to time.
The author of Hebrews says in 13:1 “Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters” so it has nothing really to do with one’s own immediate family but those who we encounter during our lifetime and the imperative “keep on loving” means that it’s not a onetime act but an ongoing action which is why we’re told to “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor” (Rom 12:10). By the way “If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen” (1 John 4:20). You cannot call someone brother while hating them. If you do, you can’t claim to love God.
Do we always have to agree with our brothers?
A brother isn’t afraid to tell me the truth and doesn’t worry about offending me when I’m wrong because “Faithful are the wounds of a friend [but] profuse are the kisses of an enemy” (Prov 27:6). The most brotherly thing he can do is to tell me the truth when I am wrong so that I can grow and learn something. Insincere flattery really gets me nowhere which is why Solomon wrote “Whoever rebukes a person will in the end gain favor rather than one who has a flattering tongue” (Prov 28:23) for it is far better to “Let a righteous man strike me–that is a kindness; let him rebuke me–that is oil on my head” (Psalm 141:5). For me, he is that “friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Prov 18:24 b). He willingly chooses to honor others above himself (Rom 12:10 b) and to esteem others better than himself (Phil 2:3).
Jesus constantly taught His followers the principle of “brotherly love,” even though the New Testament never records Him using this very word. He declared that the second great commandment is, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” (Mark 23:12)
The key to our loving other believers with brotherly love is to train ourselves to think properly about the other members of the family of God. God calls us to view each and every believer as one “for whom Christ died” ( Rom.14:15; 1 Cor.8:11). In Christ, God has laid down His life for the brethren. We, too, are to lay down our lives for one another. Jesus has patiently born with us. We, too, are to bear with one another in love. Jesus has died to forgive us of our sins. We, too, are to forgive one another. Jesus continues to build us up in the truth. We, too, are to build one another up in the truth. Jesus lives to make intercession for us. We, too, are to intercede for one another. Jesus has given us every provision for our lives in this world and in the world to come. We, too, are to share our provisions and lives with one another both now and for all of eternity.
Why is it important that we show love to fellow believers?
Put simply, love is the essence of true Christianity. Without love we cannot have a close bond with fellow Christians, and more important, we amount to nothing in Jesus's sight.
A loveless person is like a musical instrument making a loud, jarring noise that repels rather than attracts. How could such a person enjoy a close relationship with others? Paul said: “If I have all the faith so as to transplant mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:2)
Pray, open our hearts to one another, and love .
Comments