Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. 1 John 3:15-18
When I was younger, our youth pastor used to joke- “God forbids french kissing”. What? “Yes, he would say- let us not love with word or with tongue“. That’s funny. But, how we love one another is no laughing matter. It’s actually proof of whether we are saved or not. John, the beloved, says that if we hate our brother, the love of God is not in us. The evidence is usually apparent, because when we love others, we will find ourselves responding to their practical needs. I love how he poses the biting question: whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Wow!
Am I blind to the needs of others? Do I see them and try to meet them or would it inconvenience me and reduce the worldly goods I have?
God, as this day begins- I want to love in truth. Help me relax the grip I have on worldly goods… or better yet, the grip they have on me. Let’s go do something great today. Thank you for Your provision in my life. And God, help us soothe the disappointment as we semi-celebrate Jessica and Steven’s wedding date that has been postponed.
