The ultimate test of your discipleship - All The Word for Today Daily Devotionals for 2026

The Word for Today - Sunday, December 14, 2025
by Bob and Debby Gass

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The ultimate test of your discipleship

‘By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.’ John 13:35 NKJV

Designer brands like Tommy Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren are instantly recognisable—not just by their styles, but by their trademarks. These marks set them apart, making them highly visible and easily identified. In the same way, workers in specific industries are known by their attire: a surgeon wears scrubs, a policeman wears a uniform, and a judge wears robes.

Jesus also gave us something unmistakable—a defining mark that identifies us as His followers. It’s the ultimate test of our spiritual maturity and closeness to God. Here’s how He put it: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you…By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35 NKJV) Christian thinker Francis Schaeffer called love “the final apologetic”—the one defence of the faith for which there is no rebuttal. Think of it this way: when a woman is pregnant, there comes a time when we say she is “showing.” The life within her becomes visible on the outside. Likewise, the Bible says: “The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” (Romans 5:5 KJV) And John reminds us: “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” (1 John 4:11 NKJV) Love—not knowledge, position, or performance—is the trademark of true discipleship. When others look at you, is God’s love showing?

SoulFood: Gen 11:1-9 Phil 2:1-11

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