Friday, June 24 Continue loving one another.​—1 John 4:7.

[Áine]

Friday, June 24

Continue loving one another.—1 John 4:7.

 

In his account of Jesus’ life, the apostle John uses the words “love” and “loved” more often than the other three Gospel writers combined. His inspired writings reveal that love must influence everything a Christian does. (1 John 4:10, 11) However, it took time for John to learn that lesson. When John was a young man, he did not always show love. For example, on one occasion, Jesus and his disciples were traveling to Jerusalem through Samaria. A certain Samaritan village refused to show them hospitality. John proposed calling down fire from heaven and destroying all the inhabitants of the village! (Luke 9:52-56) On another occasion, John and his brother James apparently coaxed their mother into asking Jesus to give them prominent positions alongside him in the Kingdom. When the other apostles found out what James and John had done, they were furious! (Matt. 20:20, 21, 24) Nevertheless, despite all of John’s flaws, Jesus loved him.—John 21:7. w21.01 8-9 ¶3-4