Originally published on  November 14, 2006 at Onward & Upward

We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord.
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord.
And we pray that all unity may one day be restored:

And they’ll know we are Christians by our love,
By our love.
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

– Peter Schools (based on John 13:35)

This song came to mind as I was reading Joanna’s blog post from Monday. She linked to an article on CNN.com where Elton John said that “organized religion fuels anti-gay discrimination and other forms of bias”. Joanna says in response: “If we are to be relevant and have credibility with the world we live in, we must be known by our love and compassion and creative, thoughtful responses to situations and people.” She also goes on to say, “If I am known by MY love, perhaps I can undo the harm inflicted by others on the reputation and credibility of the faith.”

I thought this was a very powerful statement. I am so often caught up in my own little activities that I forget I represent Christ to those around me. God has given me an opportunity to be a witness to 17 coworkers every single day, but too often I am more interested in lashing out with a vicious tongue behind other peoples’ backs. Too often I play the “holier than thou” card, seeing myself as superior because I don’t drink or smoke or swear. Too often I hide in my office, avoiding interaction with them because they are different than me. A simple “hi” and “how was your weekend?” can make quite a bit of difference.

Thank you, Joanna, for the reminder. I challenge you with the same question: Will they know you are a Christian by your love?