Wednesday Jan. 21, 2026

Love That the World Can See

Scripture:  John 13:34-35

Reflection:  Winter has a way of revealing what’s real. Amen!!When the weather turns harsh, people don’t ask what you believe, they look for what you do.They look for who checks on their neighbor, who brings a meal, who makes sure the elderly are safe, who helps when the roads are badandwho offers warmth in the cold. In winter, love becomes visible.And in many ways, the same is true spiritually. When the world is cold with division, anger, and suspicion people don’t need more religious noise. They need warmth. They need light. They need love that looks like Jesus.That’s why Jesus didn’t say, “They will know you’re My disciples by your arguments.”He said, “They will know… by your love.”This is what makes John 13:34–35 so powerful. Jesus gives His disciples a command that will in turn give them a witness. He tells them that the perfection of their theology will not make their faith believable but the authenticity of their love will. This past Monday was MLK dayand this message fits so well with the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.Dr. King wasn’t just preaching ideas, he was calling people to live a faith that could be seen. A faith that could suffer, forgive, endure, and still choose love. His message wasn’t just about social change; it was about the power of love. A love that refuses to hate, even when hatred feels justified.That kind of love is not weak.

It’s Jesus-strong. And maybe that’s why this devotional matters today. The world is still cold in many ways. People are still divided. Suspicion is still high. Anxiety is still everywhere. And the church has a choice. We can blend in with the coldness or we can become a place of warmth.

Not because we’re better. But because we’ve been loved first.

Consider This:

• When the world feels “cold,” do I become colder too—or do I become warmer?
• Is my faith most visible in my opinions… or in my love?
• Do one “unseen kindness” today. Something that no one will post about, applaud, or notice.

Love that doesn’t need an audience is love that looks the most like Jesus.

Prayer: Thank You Jesus, for loving me when I didn’t deserve it. Thank You for meeting me with mercy instead of anger. Today, in a world that often feels cold and divided, make my life a source of warmth. Teach me to love the way You love—not with words only, but with action, humility, and sacrifice. Help me be a witness, not through arguments, but through love. And give me the courage to live my faith in a way the world can see.In Your name. Amen