John 13:34-35 I give a new commandment to you, that you should love one another; according as I loved you, you should also love one another. By this all shall know that you are My disciples, if you have love among one another.

Jesus was talking to His disciples in the above text. He had washed their feet, told them He would be leaving them soon, and then He gives them the new commandment. This is a new commandment. This is not the same as what is found in Leviticus 19:18. The one in Leviticus says to love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus is saying to love one another as He has loved them. This applies to anyone who is a follower of Jesus. We are to love each other as Jesus loved us. Jesus was long-suffering with the disciples and He is the same with us. He had, and still does have, compassion and love for people of all social status. Most importantly, Jesus also laid down His life for us.

We shouldn't depend on rituals, ceremonies, certain habits, how we dress, and so on, to identify us as Christians. Anyone can go through those same motions and live the same way and not believe in Jesus. It is the way we love each other, our unselfishness and compassion towards each other that identifies us as Christians. Only a person who's heart is full of Christ can love in such a way. It is said that the early Christians were recognized because of their love for each other. The Gentiles said of the Christians, “See how they love one another, and are ready to lay down their lives for each other.”

Somehow we have lost that genuine Christian love. Pride, greed, demands for personal rights, the desire for recognition and admiration has pushed aside true Christ-like love. Those who are not Christian don't need to harm us or persecute us because we do it to ourselves. This is true of all denominations. Christians need each other. We need to support, defend, and encourage each other. Our love for one another should be so great that we are willing to lay down our lives for each other if necessary. When people see this kind of love in our lives, they will know we are disciples of Jesus. It is our witness. It is this kind of love that will attract and draw people into the Christian family.