One thing I have always struggled with is why Jesus said "to love one another" is a new commandment. For people of faith the love commandment goes back to Old Testament times. The command to love was in the Torah. In Leviticus l9:l8 it says, "to love one’s neighbor as ourselves." So why does Jesus call it new?
Sometimes it is easier to love our neighbors than it is those we are closest to. After all, we don’t see our neighbors and interact with them much. In fact, most of us just sort of tolerate the fact that they live next door and rarely do we develop a close friendship. The people we have the most contact with are our co-workers, family members, relatives and friends. And when it comes to people in the church, we only know most of them on a casual or once a week basis.
This "new commandment" of love that Jesus gives is specifically for the disciples. They are the insiders, the ones who will carry his ministry in the future. Jesus wants their love for one another to be their highest priority. It’s like the song, "They will know we are Christians by our love." The disciples will have the greatest impact on the rest of the world by loving one another. They will model a relationship that doesn’t exist in any other group. They will demonstrate a love that others will want. Jesus wants the people of the church to make love for each other the highest of priorities because this is how others will come to know the kingdom of God.
What exactly is Jesus trying to say to us with this new commandment? We have to remember that this commandment to his disciples has a context. They have been together, just having finished a meal. And they will soon hear Jesus’ last sermon, which ends with the words, "This I command you, to love one another." Jesus will soon be arrested and taken away. There is little time. They have witnessed many profound events and heard his teachings about the kingdom of God. They have observed his compassion, his healing powers, his love of God. This is his last chance to make a point. Jesus is making a summary statement, giving a concluding thought, so he tells them to love each other.
In other words, with no time left and a desire for them to keep one last message in their hearts, he tells them to love one another. It is his epitaph. It is the "bottom line" of all his ministry on earth. If they (the disciples) remember anything, let them remember at the very least to love one another.
There can be no doubt that Jesus emphasized the importance of "community" as an essential dynamic of people of faith. By that he meant believers who really care about each other, yes, just like we care about our mothers. In a community everyone is a part. Everyone is loved and everyone loves. There are no outstanding players, only team players. The bottom line is not profit, rather the bottom line is abounding love. "Abide in my love," Jesus says in his farewell message. Talk love, do love, live love. Love one another.
I was visiting an elderly lady who has been a member of St. Paul’s her entire life. I was telling her about the Sunday we honored those who had been confirmed here at least 50 years ago. As we talked she described her day of confirmation in great detail. That was in l922, 76 years ago. But, what really impressed me is that she was able to name every other person who was confirmed with her.
Is this what Jesus meant by loving one another? Does it mean we are to be like the bar in Cheers where everyone knows your name? Does it mean everyone who identifies with our church has a job? Does it mean we love each other just like each of us loves our own mother? The answer is yes, it means all these things. But, besides being a community, I believe Jesus had something else in mind.
In the next chapter (chapter l4) Jesus expands on this new love commandment. He says, "Greater love has no one than that a person lay down their life for their friends." (John l4:l3) Peter said he could do that but Jesus told him it wouldn’t happen. What does Jesus mean, "lay down our life for our friends?" I believe he means putting others before ourselves. By putting our lives on "hold" we make room in our lives for others. It means we have to take time out. It means we have to put our personal agenda aside and attend to others.
Every year I remember Mother’s Day and I always send my Mother a card. I call her too. But, I never remember to send her card so she will get it in time. My wife reminds me, I hear the Hallmark commercials, but I just never seem to get it in the mail soon enough. Like millions of others, I make the excuse that I am too busy. I know the day is important and I love my mother. It just seems to slip from the top of my "things to do" list.
The real problem is I am consumed with work and my personal agenda. Of course I know my mother will not be upset that she gets her card a day late. But, it will mean more if she gets it on time. To make it happen I have to put my life on hold and make the effort. Even for something as simple as sending a Mother’s Day Card, I have to put her life ahead of mine.
One of the latest trends for teenagers is to wear bracelets that have the letters, "WWJD" on them. They are becoming quite a fad. If you aren’t familiar with the bracelets you are probably wondering what the letters stand for. The acronym means; What Would Jesus Do? Apparently they are there as a reminder to make one think before they act. Just how effective they are is anyone’s guess. They remind me of the sixties when we baby boomers wore love beads and flowers in our hair.
Perhaps its just another trend that will fade in time. Perhaps the bracelets will indeed help our young adults to make some responsible decisions. But, at least for the moment many young people are using the actions of Jesus as their standard to live by. Our only hope is that those who wear them know the answer to the question, "What would Jesus do?" The words of Jesus that have been recorded by John give us a fairly straight forward answer. What Jesus did was put the lives of his friends ahead of his own. Perhaps in the community of faith we should wear bracelets that say, "love one another."
For Jesus the "bottom line" was love. Unfortunately we live in a society where the bottom line is profit. We are driven by the work ethic. We are judged by our ability to compete and be successful. Even in the church we measure success by an increase in numbers.
Where in the gospel does it say we will be judged by our greatness? To be a person of faith has nothing to do with competition. We are not in a race. There are no winners here, neither are there any losers. All that really matters is our love for each other.
Jesus wants us to make room in our life for others, especially those in the household of faith. That means there will be times when we have to put our personal agendas on hold. It means that the final message of Jesus, "to love one another" should be a constant reminder, like a string around our finger or a bracelet around our wrist. It means that the "bottom line is love."
Dr. Keith Wagner, St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, Sidney, Ohio