For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. ~1 John 3:11
The ancient writer Jerome tells the story when the extremely old John, the Apostle of Love, was asked to speak in a local congregation. Too feeble to walk he'd be carried to the front of the room repeating the phrase, “Let us love one another.” When asked why he repeated the same phrase over and over he’d simply replay, “Because it is the Lord’s command, and if this only is done it is enough.”
In fact the phrase “love one another” is mentioned by John eleven times through the four books he authored (John, 1 John, 2 John and 3 John). John speaks of loving one another more than any other gospel writer.
Have you ever wondered why? I think there are two reasons. First, Jesus default was to love. He didn’t default to judgment, condemnation, or anger. He defaulted to love because love was part of His nature. John wrote, “God is love. (1 John 4:8)” Jesus’ first response was always, love.
Second, unfortunately, our default is not to love. Personally, my default is anger, and I have to remind myself to love rather than rage. For other men it’s condemnation. For a majority it’s isolation.
What is your default?
In a recent Men in the Arena Facebook thread about whether or not Christians should attend a local church, several unknowingly revealed a default in men today—the default of isolation.
I attend church primarily for worship, Bible teaching, and fellowship, but fellowship is my meat and potatoes. I can do everything else alone, except regularly loving other Christians. When a man rejects the local church he often rejects systematic fellowship with other believers, specifically other men. Yet, defaulting to isolation is like spiritual masturbation, and is detrimental to our Christian growth in the long run.
Answer this question with brutal honesty. Do you regularly—systematically— love (have fellowship with) other godly men? If not, consider plugging into a local church and getting involved in one of our Virtual or Live teams with The Great Hunt for God/Men in the Arena.
