1 John 4:11-14
11Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
12No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.
13By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.
14We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.
Since God is love, if we abide in Him and He abides in us, then we too are filled with love. This is how it works. THIS is how we witness to the world. It’s not by shunning unbelievers. It’s not by rejecting “outsiders” from entering our churches. It’s by loving unconditionally. While we were still sinners, He loved us. So too, shall we love the world.
Jesus said and showed time and again that we are all equally sinful. Our greatest deeds are like dirty rags to the King. Therefore, nobody deserves not to be loved, especially by us who don’t even know love except through Christ Himself. So then, who are we denying love?
Is it the drunkard who is trapped in his addiction? Is it the orphan who has been abandoned? Is it the family member who isn’t quite like the rest? Is it the friend who betrayed you? According to Christ’s example (being Christians, is that not what we are trying to follow?) we are to loveeveryone unconditionally.
My question today is similar to yesterday’s. Who are you not loving today that you should be? What must you sacrifice in order to love that person? Your pride? Guilt? Fear? Last night I was thinking how the ways of the world teach men that to love heart-fully and completely is not manly. I tell you what: It is much more difficult to love completely and wholly, sacrificing your own desires than it is to take the easy road and forego the one thing this world is lacking. Dare to stand out. Dare to love.
