Aside from Jesus giving us a command to live by, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” - John 13:34-35 (NIV)
Loving one another is not always easy. Sometimes, it’s downright next to impossible to even like someone; much less love them.
When I was working on President Bush’s re-election campaign in 2004, we had an event outside. It was on the property of someone’s business, and he owned the building and parking lot. Protesters were allowed on the sidewalk; just not on his property or parking lot. As they came closer to where we gathered, I had to walk down and ask them to please stay off the gentleman’s property, per his request. I even told them, “We understand your right to protest the President, and just ask that you stay on the public property, not the private property.”
I had no desire to call the police on these protesters. They were just holding signs and yelling. They weren’t doing anything “illegal.” The First Amendment allowed them to be there, to peaceably assemble. One of the protesters was particularly angry. As she challenged me on her right to walk up to where we were, I again politely reminded her this was private property and asked her to remain on the sidewalk. As this conversation was unfolding, one of the members from Senator Alexander’s staff was standing with me, and he asked the woman to please respect what I had asked of her and stay on the sidewalk. It was then the woman decided to spit on me.
I was asked if I wanted to call the police and press charges. Although I thought the woman acted like a jerk, she was as passionate about her candidate (John Kerry) as I was about mine (President George W. Bush). I said, “No.” I then told the woman I would pray for her. I’m not going to lie, I made a snide remark to Senator Alexander and his staff who were with me, as we walked away.
But I did pray for that woman. No one had ever spat on me before, and I was sad that a woman her age (late 50s to early 60s) thought spitting on a 30 year old woman was the appropriate thing to do.
I think an awful lot of us have forgotten the command to love one another, and we maybe have forgotten to pray for people, too. We sure do seem quick to spout off what we believe our rights as Christians are, but are we truly exercising them? Are we doing more loving others and praying for our hurting friends/neighbors and nation, or are we doing more of expressing our anger?
Everyone will know we are His disciples if we love one another. Jesus gave us that right.