I can still see his head above the crowd. Tall. Much taller than everyone else. His face. A look of horror at what he had just witnessed. Mixed with desperation. Desperate care and concern. Almost frantic. Like he needed to know something immediately. Sure enough he was bound and determined to call out his question. He wasn’t just taller than the crowd. He was louder. His voice rose above the sounds of the people gathered round. “Are you okay?” he cried out vehemently.
Friend, I had just been violently assaulted in New York City. God saved my life and protected me from the horrible injuries I should have sustained given the degree of hatred and physical force that came against me. I don’t remember everything. I blocked much of it out. But I vividly recall that man. And how in a world right now so often filled with people desperately lacking love, care, kindness, and compassion, that perfect stranger stood out from the crowd around me when I was assaulted as he said three powerful words demonstrating love in a world needing so much more of it.
I am sure that man had plans for that Saturday, but he took the love, time, care, compassion, and kindness to reach out to a fellow human being in need. I don’t remember if or how I responded. I was in shock. In a daze. Terrified. Likely ashamed and embarrassed. I walked off limping away from it all and walked and walked totally traumatized. Blocking out a bunch of the assault. But unable to forget the love and kindness of a stranger and the message that goes with it.
Let’s you and I strive each and every day to stand out from the crowd of the countless people with their backs turned to the Lord and refusing to love Him with all their hearts and to love one another. Let’s you and I be known and remembered for loving God with all our hearts and loving others as ourselves ever taking opportunities the Lord gives us to love, serve, pray for, bless, give to, sacrifice for, help, encourage, share the Gospel with, and support others in the name of the Lord and His love, AMEN!
Please consider in the following verses how abundantly clear God makes His command for us to love each other!
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” John 13:34 NKJV
“For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”” Galatians 5:14 NKJV
“If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF,” you do well;” James 2:8 NKJV
“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”” John 13:35
“This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” John 15:12 NKJV
“These things I command you, that you love one another.” John 15:17 NKJV
“Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;” Romans 12:10
“Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.” Romans 13:8 NKJV
“For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” Galatians 5:13 NKJV
“And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you,” 1 Thess. 3:12 NKJV
“But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;” 1 Thess. 4:9 NKJV
“And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,” Hebrews 10:24 NKJV
“Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,” 1 Peter 1:22 NKJV