When a woman in Karens church was diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrigs disease), things looked bad. This cruel disease affects nerves and muscles, eventually leading to paralysis. The familys insurance wouldnt cover home care, and the stricken womans husband couldnt bear the thought of putting her in a nursing home.
As a nurse, Karen had the expertise to help and began going to the womans home to care for her. But she soon realized she couldnt take care of her own family while meeting the needs of her friend, so she started teaching others in the church to help. As the disease ran its course over the next seven years, Karen trained thirty-one additional volunteers who surrounded that family with love, prayer, and practical assistance.
Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister, said John the disciple (1 John 4:21). Karen gives us a shining example of that kind of love. She had the skills, compassion, and vision to rally a church family around a hurting friend. Her love for one person in need became a multiplied love lived out by many.
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In the gospel of John, Jesus told His disciples that love would be the identifying mark of His followers: By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another (13:35). He also told them: If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Fathers commands and remain in his love (15:10). The connection between these two verses is as simple as it is wonderful: Loving Jesus means keeping His commands, and His command is to love. In fact, John says we cannot do one if we do not do the other. They cannot be separatedwe cannot love God in one way and fellow believers in another way. Rather, Whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen (1 John 4:20).