The Badge of Love

“We know that we have passed from death to life because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death.” - 1 John 3:14

Police officers have one of the most important jobs in our society. Their duties focus on protecting people and property. They patrol the areas they are assigned, respond to calls for help, enforce laws, make arrests, issue citations, and much, much more. One of the ways you can tell someone is an officer of the law is by the badge that they wear.

There is a badge that identifies Christians that we can wear each and every day – it is the badge of love. This badge will do two things. First, it will assure us that we are followers of Jesus. “We know that we have passed from life to death because we love each other.” Then, it will also tell others that we are followers of Christ. “By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” How did the early church filled with poor and for the most part illiterate, non-influential people turn the world upside down for Jesus? How did these Christians become a magnet that drew millions of people into its fold? They followed Christ’s command to love one another.

Listen to a man named Aristides, who in the early days of the Church was sent by Emperor Hadrian to spy on these strange people known as “Christians.” Having gone and observed them, he came back to the Emperor with these immortal words that have echoed down throughout history, “Behold! How they love one another!”

The number one mark of a Christian in the 1st Century was not theological knowledge, religious clothing, church membership, or even church attendance. It was love. When people walked into those early houses that functioned as churches, whether they were slave or free, Jew or Gentile, male or female, rich or poor, they saw people who loved each other in a way they had never seen before. And they wanted to be a part of that kind of love.

There is no bigger magnet and no greater attractive force to an unbelieving world than when we love each other as Jesus has loved us.

Father, help me to wear Your love as a badge that identifies me as Your disciple. I want to be known by my love. In Jesus’ name, amen.