THE BASIS FOR SUCH HELP​—SELF-SACRIFICING LOVE

18. (a) What type of love identifies genuine Christianity, and how did Jesus show it? (b) How can we display such love?

¹⁸ The badge of identification for a real Christian is not merely love, but self-sacrificing love. Jesus said to his disciples: “I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves.” (John 13:34, 35) His example of giving was to be the standard. He “did not please himself.” He “became poor for your sakes.” “He gave himself [through an agonizing death] for our sins.” Only by imitating this pattern of love could his disciples manifest the attention and care that widows and fatherless children would need during “their tribulation.”​—Rom. 15:3; 2 Cor. 8:9; Gal. 1:4; Jas. 1:27.

19, 20. (a) Is it always easy to show self-sacrificing love? Why or why not? (b) Whom should we especially be concerned about helping?

¹⁹ As pressures intensify and it becomes harder to care for our own problems, it is easy to become insensitive to another’s plight and to be preoccupied with our own lives. Even some in the first century who were “taught by God to love one another” needed to “go on doing it in fuller measure.” (1 Thess. 4:9, 10) Should we not look frankly at our own attitude and actions toward our Christian brothers and sisters in unfortunate circumstances? Love like that of Jesus would require that we sacrifice our life for our brothers. However, if we are willing to lay down our life for our brothers, how should we feel about sharing our “bread” when we ‘behold our brother having need’?​—1 John 3:17.

²⁰ Caring for our Scriptural responsibilities keeps us all very busy. We often wish we could do more to help others. Yet, if we willingly do what we can, be assured that Jehovah knows our limitations and appreciates what we do. “As long as we have time favorable for it, let us work what is good toward all, but especially toward those related to us in the faith.”​—Gal. 6:10.

Self-sacrificing love will move all in the congregation to be sensitive to the necessity of helping single parents in need. How? By having “fellow feeling,” by showing an interest in their children and by assisting them spiritually and materially, to mention but a few fine deeds in their behalf. How valuable is such help? One single parent said: “I have been through so many unpleasant things that I prefer to forget. However, let me say this: Without the help from loving and faithful brothers and sisters I would never have made it!”