July 10

By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another. — John 13:35 BSB

There’s one unmistakable mark of Christian character, wherever it’s found: Love is always present. Whatever else may or may not be in a Christian’s new life, love is always woven into their character like a scarlet thread. God is love, and those who belong to Christ reflect that love. To be a Christian means to have Christ in your heart, and Christ is love. If there’s no love, there’s no Christianity.

The first effect of faith in Christ is the blossoming of love in the heart of the believer. This love doesn’t remain hidden but shows itself in life. It manifests as love for God, but there’s no true love for God that doesn’t also warm the heart toward others. If someone doesn’t love their brother, whom they have seen, they cannot love God, whom they haven’t seen.

Christian love isn’t just a beautiful sentiment that fades when we encounter real people. It’s a driving force behind everything we do, the burning heart of all our ambitions. It’s a love that moves us to pity human sorrow, to be gentle with people’s weaknesses, to help those in need, to be patient when wronged, and to respond with a willingness to suffer and sacrifice for the sake of others.