"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”

Jesus’ commandment is an invitation for us to love one another, but His invitations were never compelling.

Before Jesus was arrested, He reminded Paul that he would deny Him. Perhaps Jesus did not emphasize these words enough, and so Paul neglected Jesus’ warning.

The very same happened to Judas. Jesus has only gently told Judas, “Just go and do what has to be done”. Only Judas himself could have understood this command. Unfortunately, Judas still refused to come to his conscience.

These two examples show how very difficult for us to understand the great degree of freedom that God has granted His people.

“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”

Apparently, Jesus would like to share His Joy with us. When we cannot feel this Joy, it does not mean that Jesus is not willing to share it with us. Instead, it is because we have closed our hearts, and refuse to receive this gift from God.

This Joy is closely related to how we carry out God’s commandments. The fullness of the Joy is built upon our endurance in carrying out God’s will. Sometimes, what God has planned for us might not be what we thought would be the best for us. However, when we believe that all these plans are rooted in God’s love, then peace will be with us.