“By This All Will Know That You Are My Disciples”

 1. What impresses many interested people who attend our meetings? (See also picture.)

IMAGINE a married couple attending their first meeting at a Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses. They are deeply impressed by the warm welcome they receive and the love among those in the congregation. On the way home from the meeting, the wife says to her husband, ‘There is something different about Jehovah’s Witnesses​—in a good way.’

 2. Why have some been stumbled?

² The love that exists among those in the Christian congregation is indeed remarkable. Of course, Jehovah’s Witnesses are not perfect. (1 John 1:8) So the more we get to know those in the congregation, the more likely we are to see some of their flaws. (Rom. 3:23) Sadly, some have allowed the imperfections of others to stumble them.

 3. What identifies Jesus’ true followers? (John 13:34, 35)

³ Look again at the theme text for this article. (Read John 13:34, 35.) What is the identifying mark of Christ’s true followers? It is love, not perfection. Notice, too, that Jesus did not say: ‘By this you will know that you are my disciples.’ He said: “By this all will know that you are my disciples.” Jesus thus indicated that not only his followers but also those outside the Christian congregation would recognize his true followers by the unselfish love they have for one another.

 4. What might some want to know about true Christians?

⁴ Some who are not Jehovah’s Witnesses might wonder: ‘How does love identify Jesus’ true followers? How did Jesus demonstrate love toward his apostles? And how is it possible to imitate Jesus’ example today?’ Witnesses do well to reflect on the answers to those questions. Doing so may help us to display love more fully, especially when dealing with the imperfections of one another.​—Eph. 5:2.

 5. Explain Jesus’ words found at John 15:12, 13.

⁵ Jesus made clear that a special kind of love would identify his followers. (Read John 15:12, 13.) Notice that Jesus commanded them: “Love one another just as I have loved you.” What does that mean? As Jesus went on to explain, this is self-sacrificing love​—love that moves a Christian even to die for a fellow believer if necessary.b

 6. How does God’s Word emphasize the importance of love?

⁶ God’s Word places a lot of emphasis on love. Many people include among their favorite Bible verses the following: “God is love.” (1 John 4:8) “You must love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matt. 22:39) “Love covers a multitude of sins.” (1 Pet. 4:8) “Love never fails.” (1 Cor. 13:8) These verses and others should make it plain to anyone how important it is to cultivate and display this beautiful quality.

 7. Why can Satan never unite people in genuine love?

⁷ Many people ask: ‘How is it possible to identify the true religion? All religions claim to teach the truth, but each one teaches something different about God.’ Satan has managed to confuse people by creating a multitude of counterfeit religious organizations. But he can never create a worldwide brotherhood of Christians who love one another. Only Jehovah can do that. That is reasonable because genuine love comes from Jehovah​—from having his spirit and blessing on a group of worshippers. (1 John 4:7) Is it any wonder, then, that Jesus said that unselfish love would identify his true followers?

8-9. How have many individuals been affected by the love they observed among Jehovah’s Witnesses?

⁸ Just as Jesus foretold, many have recognized his true followers by the genuine love they show among themselves. For example, a brother named Ian recalls the first convention he attended, which was held at a sports stadium near his home. Ian had been to that stadium a few months earlier for a sporting event. He says: “The contrast with this convention was enormous. The Witnesses were polite and well-dressed, and their children were well-behaved.” He adds: “Above all, these people seemed to have a feeling of contentment and peace​—something I yearned for. I don’t remember any of the talks that were given that day, but the conduct of the Witnesses made a lasting impression.”c Such conduct, of course, is a result of the genuine love we have for one another. Because we love our brothers and sisters, we treat them with kindness and respect.

⁹ A brother named John had a similar first impression when he started attending congregation meetings: “I was impressed by the friendliness . . . of everyone there​—they seemed like saints. Their genuine love convinced me that I had found the true religion.”d Time and again, such experiences underscore that Jehovah’s people are proving to be true Christians.

10. When especially do we have an opportunity to demonstrate Christian love? (See also footnote.)

¹⁰ As noted at the outset, none of our fellow believers are perfect. At times, they will say or do things that upset us.e (Jas. 3:2) On such occasions, we especially have an opportunity to demonstrate Christian love by the way we react. In that regard, what can we learn from the example set by Jesus?​—John 13:15.

11. What bad traits did James and John display? (See also picture.)

¹¹ Jesus did not expect perfection from his followers. Rather, he lovingly helped them to correct their undesirable personality traits so that they could gain Jehovah’s approval. On one occasion, two of the apostles, James and John, had their mother ask Jesus to give them prominent positions in the Kingdom. (Matt. 20:20, 21) James and John were thus displaying the traits of pride and ambition.​—Prov. 16:18.

12. Were James and John the only ones who displayed bad traits? Explain.

¹² James and John were not the only ones who displayed bad traits on that occasion. Note how the other apostles reacted: “When the ten others heard about it, they became indignant at the two brothers.” (Matt. 20:24) We can imagine that sharp words were exchanged among James, John, and the other apostles. Perhaps the others said something like this: ‘Who do you think you are to ask for positions of prominence in the Kingdom? You are not the only ones who have worked hard with Jesus. We are just as qualified as you are for special privileges!’ Whatever the case, the apostles temporarily allowed this situation to disrupt their brotherly affection for one another.

13. How did Jesus react to the shortcomings of his apostles? (Matthew 20:25-28)

¹³ How did Jesus deal with the situation? He did not become indignant. He did not say that he was going to look for better apostles, men who had greater humility and who would always treat one another with love. Rather, Jesus patiently reasoned with these sincere men. (Read Matthew 20:25-28.) He continued to deal with them in a loving way, even though this was neither the first nor the last time that the apostles tried to determine who among them was the greatest.​—Mark 9:34; Luke 22:24.

14. In what kind of environment did Jesus’ apostles grow up?

¹⁴ No doubt Jesus took into consideration the apostles’ background. (John 2:24, 25) They had grown up in an environment where the religious leaders placed great emphasis on prominence and position. (Matt. 23:6; compare the video The Front Seats in the Synagogue in study note on Matthew 23:6.) The Jewish religious leaders were also self-righteous.f (Luke 18:9-12) Jesus understood that such an environment could affect the apostles’ view of themselves and others. (Prov. 19:11) He was realistic in what he expected of his disciples and did not overreact when they fell short. He knew that they had good hearts, so he patiently helped them overcome their pride and ambition and replace those with love.

15. What can we learn from the incident involving James and John?

¹⁵ We can learn much from the incident involving James and John. They were wrong to ask for positions of prominence in the Kingdom. But the other apostles were also wrong to allow the situation to disrupt their unity. Jesus, though, dealt with all 12 apostles in a kind and loving way. The lesson for us? What matters is not only what other people do but also how we react to their mistakes and shortcomings. What can help us? When we are upset with a fellow believer, we can ask ourselves: ‘Why does what he did bother me so much? Does it reveal a negative trait that I need to work on? Could it be that the person who upset me is dealing with a difficulty? Even if I feel that I am justified for being upset, can I show unselfish love by overlooking the offense?’ The more we deal with others in a loving way, the more we prove to be Jesus’ true followers.

16. What else can we learn from Jesus’ example?

¹⁶ Jesus’ example also teaches us to try to understand our fellow believers. (Prov. 20:5) Granted, Jesus could read hearts. We cannot. But we can make allowances for the imperfections of our brothers and sisters. (Eph. 4:1, 2; 1 Pet. 3:8) It is easier to do so if we learn about their background. Consider an example.

17. How did one traveling overseer benefit from getting to know a fellow believer better?

¹⁷ A traveling overseer serving in East Africa recalls a brother who he felt had an abrasive personality. How did the circuit overseer respond? He says: “Instead of avoiding the brother, I resolved to get to know him better.” In doing so, the circuit overseer learned some things about the brother’s background that had influenced his personality. The circuit overseer continues: “Once I understood how hard the brother had struggled to overcome his background and how far he had come, I admired him. We became good friends.” Indeed, when we try to understand our brothers and sisters, we often find it easier to show them love.

18. What questions might we ask ourselves if we have been offended by a fellow believer? (Proverbs 26:20)

¹⁸ We may at times feel the need to approach a fellow believer who has offended us. First, though, we do well to ask ourselves such questions as: ‘Do I have enough facts?’ (Prov. 18:13) ‘Could it be that the offense was not intentional?’ (Eccl. 7:20) ‘Have I ever made a similar mistake?’ (Eccl. 7:21, 22) ‘By approaching the person, will I create a bigger issue than the one I am trying to resolve?’ (Read Proverbs 26:20.) When we take time to consider such questions, we may conclude that our love for our brother can move us simply to overlook the offense.

19. What are you determined to do?

¹⁹ As a group, Jehovah’s Witnesses are proving to be Jesus’ true disciples. We individually prove that we are real followers of Jesus when we show unselfish love toward our brothers and sisters despite their imperfections. In the process, we may help others to recognize the true religion and to join us in worshipping Jehovah, the God of love. Let us be determined to continue demonstrating the love that identifies true Christians.