love

^{31 -32}When he had left, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man is seen for who he is, and God seen for who he is in him. The moment God is seen in him, God's glory will be on display. In glorifying him, he himself is glorified—glory all around!

³³"Children, I am with you for only a short time longer. You are going to look high and low for me. But just as I told the Jews, I'm telling you: 'Where I go, you are not able to come.'

^{34 -35}"Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other."

³⁶Simon Peter asked, "Master, just where are you going?"

Jesus answered, "You can't now follow me where I'm going. You will follow later."

³⁷"Master," said Peter, "why can't I follow now? I'll lay down my life for you!"

³⁸"Really? You'll lay down your life for me? The truth is that before the rooster crows, you'll deny me three times."

John 13

we hear this so much. so often. and we totally blow right past it. to simply love. Jesus doesn't request it, He commands it. to love each other so that everyone will see that we are His disciples, that we are His followers. we can see it right here in this account. Jesus tells the 11 disciples in the room with Him this new command to love one another in the same way He loved them. and what's their next question? do they ask, "How do we do this?" or, "What do you mean, teacher?" nope. they skip right past it and ask, "Master, just where are you going?" Jesus has just given them a new command and they don't even question. now i don't know if it was just like a, "Jesus said it, now let's do it!" kind of reaction where it was so simple for them that they would just go and do it. or was it more of, "Jesus said something about loving like someone but what in the world is this about you leaving??" i'm thinking it was the latter. and isn't it funny that we do the same thing sometimes? we ask, "Where are You, God??" or we even worry about the smallest details and go, "How many songs should we sing this week?" and totally forget to forgive a brother who has talked behind your back, or make up with a sister who disagreed with something that you said. we forget that we feel God when we love each other. that's how God is revealed to us, through our love! through the love that doesn't make any sense, we see God! let's not blow right past this great command and really focus on what Jesus is trying to say. that through loving each other, the world will see Jesus, and then everyone can follow where He is going.