Just Love.  “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”  John 13.34-35

Good Morning, Dear Ones~

What would it have been like to be loved by Jesus—personally, I mean?  ‘Love like I have loved you’, he told his disciples, which caused me to pray, ‘so Lord, how did you love them?’

Perhaps it helps to picture the 12 disciples who did life with Jesus, and consider what they were like.  By vocation, seven were fishermen, one was a despised tax collector, one a rebel, (Simon the Zealot), and the occupations of three are unknown.  He found them, called them and they left their jobs to follow him.  [So Jesus was compelling!]  All were ordinary men . . . though they were extra-ordinary because they were loved by the Messiah, personally, as he walked and talked with them.  Just imagine … Jesus cooked with them, taught them, and unfurled his bedroll to sleep next to them.  

Jesus always believed the best in them, because love is like that.  Think of Jesus calling Peter ‘the rock’, for he knew who he would become.  He was patient with Peter, because love is patient—and besides, Jesus had formed him in his mother’s womb and knew all about him!  He knew about his impetuous ways, knee-jerk reactions, high emotions, and those made Jesus smile.

Because love is never haughty or selfish or rude, those had no part in the relationship Jesus shared with his men.  He served them and tended to their needs, and let them serve him too … just as he loved the tender devotion Mary showed him by pouring her fine oil on him.  She had experienced Jesus’ love, and she wanted to express her great love for him.  It was beautifully intimate.  Intimate love goes both ways, or something is lacking.

Jesus’ love was not flat or boring, because Jesus was edgy and authentic.  His love had dimension—as his personality was full, his emotions unafraid, and his affection unhinged.  Heck, he touched the leper, embraced folks, got his hands dirty for the blind man, held children in his lap, and found joy in the presence of women.  Jesus was all about love, and he turns to you, looks over at me, and says, ‘hey, just love.  ‘You hear me?  Just love.’

Christine