A new commandment is given to you, that you love one another. This love is not to be understood as a mere sentiment, although it makes all true sentiment possible, and more than possible, lovely.
Love means that we are to treat one another as the voice of God requires, and that we are to do so from the heart. We are not to mime our way through various loving actions, but we are to love one another deeply. And love means that we live as Christians in our households. If we are unloving, disrespectful, or disobedient there, then all our “kindnesses” elsewhere are manifestations of a hypocritical politeness, and are not love at all.
How can you love God, whom you have not seen, when you do not love your neighbor whom you have seen? And how can you love your distant neighbor whom you have not seen, or see occasionally, when you do not love your neighbor, with whom you live?
The watchword therefore is kindness to those with whom you live — kindness in the kitchen, kindness in the bedroom, kindness in seeking forgiveness, kindness in extending forgiveness, kindness in letting go of anger, kindness in letting go of bitterness and resentment over the anger of another, kindness in honoring and obeying your parents gladly.
Here you are, appearing before the Lord of heaven. Is there any unconfessed household sin that you are clutching? If so, lay it down. God will receive you with the same kindness He requires of you, but you must lay that sin down.