Christians care for one another in love
Scripture references
John 13:34–35 (ASV)
34A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; even as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
1 John 3:11–24 (ASV)
11For this is the message which ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another: 12not as Cain was of the evil one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.
13Marvel not, brethren, if the world hateth you. 14We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not abideth in death. 15Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. 16Hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17But whoso hath the world’s goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, ...
Stories
Kagawa advocated that the church should be more than just a place for ethical discussions, it should be a place of love and helping each other. The result was nothing short of a social revolution.
The endurance of Dr. Dwan in the face of persecution for his Christian faith, and the love of Christian foreigners shown to him, touched the people in his village deeply. This brought a change in the general attitude towards Christianity, but even better was the conversion of many of Dr. Dwan's family and friends.
Mrs. Cheng, the faithful nurse for the Goforth’s children, was also a lifelong friend and ministry partner. Her relationship with the family clearly demonstrated the love that followers of Jesus have for one another. In one life-threatening situation, in which she refused to leave the Goforths, God delivered them by sending a man “evidently one of some influence” to disperse the mob.
A missionary in Jamaica was stricken with Yellow Fever and given up for lost. But the slaves to which he had lovingly preached the Good News of Jesus, reciprocated that love with hours of united prayer on their beloved missionary's behalf. God answered their prayer!
Hudson Taylor was gifted in the management of the class and cultural diversity among the pioneer missionaries travelling to China aboard the Lammermuir in 1866. His personal example and loving leadership were such that instead of personal conflicts among the missionaries, more than half of the crew members of the ship confessed Jesus as their Lord and Saviour before they even arrived in Shanghai.
Khalida lost her pregnancy, broke her left arm, fractured both legs but somehow still survived a bomb attack at her church in Pakistan that left over a hundred other believers dead. So great was her joy when in the midst of her suffering and deteriorating health, she learned that believers in far away America were not only praying for her but had pulled resources together to help her get the best medicare possible.
Two stories show believers in an Akha village in Thailand following in the footsteps of the early church by showing love and sharing in the needs of one another, much to the admiration of those who initially mocked them.
When Mary Slessor's work was interrupted by a bout of illness. The loving-kindness and care shown her by two Christian families; Dr. Robertson and his wife and the hospitable Macgregors during her convalescence left her so thankful that she described that period of rest as “perfect a fortnight as ever I spent.”
When a fire broke out at Mr. Humphrey's house, his neighbor risked it all to save Humphrey's family. In the process, the neighbor sustained an injury. Humphrey saw this as an opportunity for them to extend the neighbor's kindness back to him for saving them; they cared for him without counting the cost.
