When I was in grade school, my family invited a college student from Syria to our home for dinner. He barely spoke English and knew little about American customs. My mom served a fancy dinner and everything was going well.

For dessert we were each served a large slice of cake with thick, gooey icing. My older brothers each took their knives and sliced, with a surgeon’s skill, between the icing and the cake, carefully setting the icing off to the side so they could save the best part for last. Meanwhile, our Syrian guest was watching closely. He then took his knife and very carefully copied them, assuming that this was how you eat cake in America.

And that’s what Jesus asks us to do. He said, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” He wants us to love each other the same way he loves us.