
Day 12: Loving people into the Kingdom.
John 13: 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.
In the early church, one of the most powerful testimonies wasn’t the eloquent preaching of its leaders but the radical love believers showed each other. During plagues in the Roman Empire, when most people fled to save themselves, Christians stayed behind to care for the sick, even those who weren’t believers. Historians record that this unexplainable love and sacrifice led many outsiders to embrace Christianity. They had never seen love like that before. Love was the evangelism strategy. And it worked.
It’s no accident that the earliest hospitals in history were founded by Christians. Followers of Jesus believed that caring for the sick, the poor, and the marginalized was part of living out the love of Christ. From the compassion of Basil of Caesarea in the 4th century, who established one of the first hospitals, to the many Christian orders that created places of healing across Europe, the world has seen how faith in Jesus birthed institutions of mercy. Hospitals were not merely buildings of medicine; they were monuments to the love of God in action.
Jesus didn’t say the world would recognize His disciples by perfect theology, by eloquent words, or by cultural influence. He said the defining mark of discipleship is love. Not just love in words but love in action. Love is what opens doors to the gospel. Love is what disarms hostility. Love is what makes people wonder: “Why would you care about me like that?” And in that moment, their hearts are softened to hear about Jesus—the One who loved them first.
Think about it: arguments rarely win people to Christ but love often does. A kind act, patient listening, forgiveness given when it wasn’t deserved—these are living sermons. They point people to a love that is greater than our own: the love of Christ. When we love well, we aren’t just being “nice people.” We are putting the gospel on display.
Today, ask the Lord to give you the eyes to see someone you can love in a tangible way. Maybe it’s a coworker who feels overlooked, a neighbor who needs encouragement, or a family member who has been hard to deal with. Find a way to show Christ’s love through action.
Remember, love is not weakness, it’s the very power that melts hearts and paves the way for the good news of Jesus.