The story is told of a young boy who was very faithful in church attendance. Unfortunately, the family moved to a new home far away from the church. Every Sunday, the young lad would cross the city so that he could attend service. One day, a neighbour asked him why he had to cross town to attend church and yet, there were other churches nearby. The young lad looked at the neighbour and said, “They sure know how to love people there!”

The church is not only the body of Christ, it is the family of God. God, our heavenly father, is love. This is one trait that should distinguish Christianity from any other religion. Jesus said a new commandment he leaves with us that we should love one another as he has loved us. The church should be a place where we are loved and we love others. It should be a family where we all know that we have been accepted because of our faith in Christ and none is better than another.

Just as in a family, we should also recognize that we have responsibilities and God our father has given us gifts to ensure that we can serve one another within the family.

Though we may belong to different denominations, we should not allow this to divide us because our faith in Christ makes us one family. In fact, God does not see denominations, all he sees is his children and one family.

Our love for one another should not just be mere words but it should be demonstrated by our actions. The book of 1st Corinthians 13 paints an explicit picture of how this love should be demonstrated.

We belong to God’s family.

We are loved and accepted.

We are called to love one another.

Are you part of a local Church and does it feel like a family?

Do you feel loved and accepted in God’s family, or do you think he loves others more than you?

What can you do daily to remind other believers that they are loved and accepted?