Saturday, September 20 Love one another.​—John 13:34.

[Áine]

 

Saturday, September 20

Love one another.—John 13:34.

 

We cannot obey Jesus’ command about love if we show love to some in the congregation but not to others. Granted, we may feel closer to some than to others, as did Jesus. (John 13:23; 20:2) But the apostle Peter reminds us that we should strive to have “brotherly affection”—a warm familylike attachment—for all our brothers and sisters. (1 Pet. 2:17) Peter urged us to “love one another intensely from the heart.” (1 Pet. 1:22) In this context, to love “intensely” involves stretching the limits of our natural inclination to love. For example, what if a brother offends or hurts us in some way? Our instinct may be to retaliate rather than to show love. Yet, Peter learned from Jesus that retaliation does not please God. (John 18:10, 11) Peter wrote: “Do not pay back injury for injury or insult for insult. Instead, repay with a blessing.” (1 Pet. 3:9) Allow intense love to move you to be kind and considerate. w23.09 28-29 ¶9-11

 

[dljbsp]

3 minutes ago, Áine said:

Saturday, September 20

Love isn’t a lounge chair you sink into when it’s comfortable — it’s a muscle you stretch till it aches. Jesus said love one another — not just your circle, not just the ones who click with you. Peter learned it the hard way: when a brother cuts you, don’t cut back, cover. When insult stings, repay with blessing. That’s love with calluses on it, stretched beyond instinct, fierce enough to prove you really are Christ’s disciple.