7 Ways To Love One AnotherSample

Day 3: Love One Another in Unity

Occasionally an entire hillside in the Appalachian forests can be buried under an unbroken sea of brilliant green leaves. That’s because kudzu, a vine originally planted in the area as an ornamental ground covering, can take over acres of woodland, suffocating color beneath its shade. We can behave like kudzu without even realizing it; we can be so focused on our own interests that we overwhelm and diminish those around us.

Jesus prayed for Christians to live in unity, but unity is not the same as uniformity. We’re meant to be like a beautiful forest, full of variety, not a suffocating blanket of identical leaves. 

Unity is foundational in our call to love one another with one mind and purpose. Unity is a word that’s often misunderstood. Some people consider unity to mean oneness that results in being the same, while others think it means the absence of diversity. Scripture, however, paints a different picture of unity.

In John 17, Jesus’ prayer beautifully demonstrates the deep communion He shares with God the Father, and His main concern was for unity among God’s people. Jesus prays that all believers would become unified. It’s not just a spiritual unity, but one that’s clearly demonstrated and visible to the world as a powerful witness to the reality of God’s love (Jn. 17:21). 

Although unity calls for individuals to come together as one, the desired result of unity isn’t a call to sameness; it’s a call to share the same purpose, goal and vision. 

As we consider what it means to love one another in unity, we’re reminded that we were created to “do life” together in community. As a follower of Jesus, your overarching purpose is to love God and people. Your love for God and others, combined with the same from other believers, unifies us in Christ and declares the transforming power of His love to the world.

Questions for Reflection: 

• When was the last time you felt a deep sense of community and unity with others? 
• How can you begin to change your thinking from “me-focused” to “we-focused”? 
• What areas in your life does God want to grow and mature to better reflect unity that glorifies Him?