Apparently there are “authenticators” in major league baseball. I recently heard about it on sports radio.

Baseball teams like the Blue Jays, Astros or Yankees (or whoever), employ these authenticators at games to authenticate what was actually used in a game.

It makes sense. After all, the baseballs, bats and other equipment that is used are valuable, especially if they are used in a momentous game, or by an exceptional player, or in the setting of a record.

Over 500,000 items are authenticated like this every season! Little stickers with special holograms are used to authenticate something—to identify it as being the real deal and not a fake.

It made me wonder. Is there something that “authenticates” to others that we are followers of Jesus? Is there something that demonstrates to others that our faith is the real deal and not fake?

Turns out, there is.

In John 13:34-35 Jesus tells his disciples this: “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

If we love one another, others will see that our discipleship under Jesus is the real deal, that our faith is authentic.

“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

By Matthew Ruttan

–Bible quotes are from the NIV.
–“Up!” is published 5 days a week (Monday – Friday) and returns on November 4.