Love One Another  

John 15:12

Jesus has spoken to the his disciples about abiding, pruning and bearing fruit. All of these terms encourage a deep individual work in each of the disciple's lives. Jesus is encouraging the disciples with the reality that their lives have purpose. He and the Father are deeply involved.

Like the disciples, many times we confine God's purpose and will to what we do for Him. We often measure fruitfulness by what we have done for the Lord. Jesus, at least in this passage, is making the disciples aware that true fruitfulness is measured by what is worked in us by the Spirit of God.

Abiding (spending time tarrying in God's presence) and pruning (surrendered and yielded to the daily dealings of God) will ultimately produce the peaceable fruit of righteousness in our lives.

Jesus did not stop with this individual and very personal work. Instead, he brings all the branches together with this commandment that they would "Love one another." He unpacks to them that friendship, which embodies trust, care and affection to the point of "laying down" your life for those you love, becomes the ultimate evidence of fruit bearing.

This type of life also reflects at its very core the heart of the Kingdom of God.  

I want to encourage each of us as we journey this week that we walk with others in view to move towards them in love with the intent of laying down our lives in order for them to experience God in full measure.