Today’s 333 Devotional: “Love: The Great Authenticator”

Seeing that love is life’s driving priority, Jesus has several things to say about it. We’ve seen how love is God’s Great Commandment, and it’s through our love that we authenticate God’s call upon our lives.

Jesus said that it’s love that demonstrates to the world that our faith is real.

 “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35)

In today’s marketplace there are a lot of knockoffs, that is, cut rate manufacturers who make a living off replicating and duplicating original products lines; even to the point of duplicating their logo in an attempt to make them look just like the original.

This is especially seen in clothing lines and ladies’ purses. People are walking around carrying and wearing Gucci knockoffs. They look like Gucci, but there are differences in the design that allows them to continue this deception.

I remember a trip several of us made to Korea. We took a day to look around and found ourselves at the outdoor market in Seoul. There were several places that would sell you the piece of clothing along with the original manufacturers tag that you could iron on. So, you could have the look without paying the price.

The same is true when it comes to faith in Jesus. There are many people who look like Christians, but they have the look without the price. They belong to this or that religion or denomination, but they don’t have love. They look good on the outside, but inside they’re still filled with dead men’s bones and all sorts of corruption (Matthew 23:27).

What separates the knockoffs from the real thing? When God looks for the mark of a true Christian, and when the world looks for the mark of a true Christian, that mark is love.

The Apostle John said, “If someone says, ‘I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar.’” (1 John 4:20a)