March 16: Based on John 13:35: "By This All People Will Know"
📖 John 13:35: "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."
Hey, FaithLabz Fam!
Today I want to talk about something that's been on my heart lately - a profound truth from John 13:35 where Jesus says, "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."
Now, I've got to be honest with you - understanding what this really means has been a journey for me. And sometimes, life has a way of revealing these truths in the most unexpected conversations.
🤔 The Moment That Got Me Thinking
So last week, I was catching up with an old friend - someone I've known practically my entire life. We were talking about how things have changed over the years, reminiscing about old times, when he suddenly said something that caught me off guard.
"Yeah man, you used to be cool," he said with a slight smirk, "but now you're just all Jesus freak about everything you post."
🛡️ My First Reaction (And What Changed)
My first instinct? I'm not going to lie - I felt defensive. That familiar surge of justification bubbled up inside me. But then something interesting happened. In that moment, I realized this wasn't an attack to defend against. This was an opportunity to demonstrate exactly what Jesus was talking about in John 13.
💛 My Messy, Beautiful Faith Story
You see, my relationship with faith has been... complicated. I was raised Roman Catholic, surrounded by scripture and tradition. I knew all the right words and all the right motions. But somewhere along the way, I drifted. Not in some dramatic rebellion - I just got swept up in life. Career ambitions, relationships, the subtle numbing of various addictions, and that universal human search for meaning in all the wrong places.
Then came the hardest chapter - a divorce that left me feeling utterly worthless and unlovable. I remember sitting alone in my apartment, surrounded by the wreckage of what I thought my life would be, when I felt something I hadn't felt in years - the quiet presence of Christ, not condemning me, but simply there. Picking me up, dusting off my shoulders, and placing me firmly back on my feet.
It wasn't a lightning bolt moment. It was more like a sunrise after the longest night - gradual, warming, and absolutely undeniable.
🌱 A New Way to Share Faith
But here's where it gets interesting. As I found my way back to faith, I realized something crucial: the way I had been taught about Christ wasn't something I could simply pass down to my children. In fact, I began to wonder if the formal, sometimes rigid presentation of faith was partly why I had stepped away from my practices in the first place.
I didn't want my kids to just hear about the love of Christ. I wanted them to SEE it. To witness it in action. To recognize it not as some ancient concept, but as a living reality that transforms how we move through this messy, beautiful world.
🔥 The Spark That Started It All
That realization changed everything for me. It's why I started making these videos every day - not because I have all the answers, trust me, I don’t - but because I wanted to create something authentic. A space where others might rediscover a spark they've lost. A library of material my kids could explore someday, where maybe, just maybe, they might avoid some of the potholes I've stepped in.
😊 Back to That Friend Moment
So when my friend made that comment about me being a "Jesus freak," I took a breath and saw the moment for what it was - not an attack, but an opening. A chance to demonstrate love rather than defensiveness.
I smiled and said, "You know, you're not wrong. My life has changed. But I'm curious - what seems so different to you?"
That simple question led to one of the most honest conversations we've ever had. He opened up about his own struggles with faith, his doubts, his disappointments with religion. I didn't preach. I didn't quote scripture at him. I just listened. Really listened.
💡 The Big “Aha” Moment
And that's when it hit me - this is what Jesus meant. "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."
💡 Not by how eloquently we can defend our beliefs.
💡 Not by how many Bible verses we've memorized.
💡 Not by how perfectly we follow the rules.
But by love. Real love. The kind that listens without judgment. The kind that stays present in uncomfortable conversations. The kind that sees the person behind the words.
📖 What Jesus Was Really Saying
Think about the context of this verse. Jesus spoke these words at the Last Supper, after washing his disciples' feet - a task reserved for the lowest servant. He demonstrated humility in its purest form, then told them to do likewise for each other.
And immediately after this, he says that THIS love - this servant-hearted, humble, put-others-first kind of love - would be the defining mark of his followers.
✅ Not theological prowess.
✅ Not religious performance.
✅ Not moral superiority.
Love.
🌍 Love in Today’s Crazy World
So what does this look like in our digitally-saturated, politically-divided, increasingly-isolated world?
🎶 It looks like listening before speaking.
🙌 It looks like seeking to understand before being understood.
💪 It looks like staying in relationship with people who see the world differently.
✨ It looks like humility that admits, "I'm still figuring this out too."
🙏 I’m Still Learning Too
I'm not perfect at this - not even close. There are days when I still get defensive, when I take criticism of my faith personally, when I want to win the argument rather than love the person. I'm a work in progress, stumbling forward, trying to follow the example of a Savior who consistently chose love over being right.
🤗 A Small Step, A Big Shift
My conversation with my friend didn't end with some dramatic conversion story. He didn't suddenly decide to come to church with me or start reading the Bible. But something subtle shifted between us. A wall came down. A genuine exchange happened.
I don't know where his journey will lead, but I do know this: in that moment, I chose love over defensiveness. And somehow, that felt more like following Jesus than any religious performance ever could.
❓ A Question for You
So today, I want to leave you with this question: How might your relationships change if you approached every interaction with the primary goal of demonstrating Christ's love? Not proving that you're right. Not converting someone to your viewpoint. Just loving them, right where they are.
Because at the end of the day, that's how people will know. Not by our perfect doctrine or flawless behavior, but by our love for one another.
An Invitation to go Deeper….
If today’s message spoke to you, join the FaithLabz 30-Day Prayer Challenge and strengthen your connection with God’s unshakable love. You are never alone—let’s grow together!
