Love Each Other as Ourselves

‘Love one another as I have loved you’ are words spoken by Jesus to his disciples, that should direct and guide us as a learning community at MCC. If everything we do and say is motivated and grounded in love for others, we will undoubtedly be building a healthy and flourishing culture and community. The love that Jesus exemplifies is one that is selfless, kind, compassionate and pure. It requires us to be willing to sacrifice for the people around us. What does sacrifice look like in a community like ours? It might look like baking a meal for another family or pausing in the business of life to listen to a friend. It might mean chatting with a parent at pick up time who, or maybe even taking time to have coffee with a family new to our community.

It was so lovely to see this in action when we celebrated our fathers and special people at Toolern Vale this week. Sacrificial love in action, was our dads and grandparents taking time out of their busy schedules to stop and lean in to their little people. Our students were brimming with pride and joy as they interacted with their special people in their classrooms – playing, drawing, building and just soaking up the time together. Sacrificial love in action looked like dads connecting with other dads and taking time to get to know each other just a little, as they gathered over a lovely warm cuppa and croissant.

Jesus demonstrated this love when he stopped to chat with a Samaritan woman at a well. When he enjoyed dinner with a tax collector at his house – but why were these actions so special? It is because he was taking time for people who were looked down on and ignored by most – he took time and paused for the outcasts, making them realise they were loved and valued. When we ‘do’ sacrificial love like this, we are making people feel loved and cared for – like they are worth stopping for and worthy of spending time with. Let’s challenge ourselves as a community at Toolern Vale to be this kind of special love to each other – the kind that goes out of our way to make others feel valued.

Kellie giannes, head of toolern vale campus