... it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him (John 14:21). It's Jesus speaking of course, and part of what He is saying here, is that love looks like something. He had just given them a new commandment, that they love one another as (in the same way) that He had loved them. And in doing so He gives the World the right to judge whether we are His disciples by that love (13:34, 35). The same John who is author of this gospel, puts this negatively telling us that “He who says he loves God and hates his neighbour, is a liar” (1 John 4:20). This is not about earning our salvation, it's about living in the reality of the Christian life. Our love for God looks like something, and God's love for us looks like something too. First and foremost of course that is that “God demonstrated His love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
But what Jesus is saying here, is that when we respond to Him not just by turning to Him, but also obeying His commandments, then He will go further and “manifest” Himself to us. This manifestation is thoroughly trinitarian. If we love Him and keep His Word, both Jesus and the Father will further demonstrate their love by coming to us, and making their home within us (a habitation not a visitation verse 23). Moreover the Helper, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth will also come and abide with us forever (verses 15-17). And lest there be any doubt as to what this all means, Jesus tells us that He “will not leave us orphans” (verse 18). So it remains to ask what does it look like for us to love each other, as He has loved us.
What I know, is that if we are to be His disciples (life long learners 13:35), then we will need to cooperate with Him in learning at least two things. Firstly obeying His commandment to love involves allowing Him to use our relation difficulties to reveal things in ourselves that need to change. This is the meaning of “As iron sharpens iron, so man sharpens man” (Proverbs 27:17). When we do this we can find healing by confessing our faults one to another (James 5:16). It is easier than the other way round with the other person needing to show me my faults! The second thing with “as He has loved us” is that “When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:23). What this does, at least what it has done and is doing for me, is that it draws me closer to Him, and I am loosing my orphan spirit in the process.
Lord Jesus I am not quite there yet, but more and more I am learning to be son, and to care more about what You think of me, than what others do. Lord, I want to be able to do the greater works that You promise in this morning's readings (verse 12). Please give us a double portion of Your Grace Lord as You continue Your work in us, and let it reflect Glory to You Lord, in Your precious Name Amen
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