November 22 - 1 John 4: Loving Both

My dear friends, don't believe everything you hear. Carefully weigh and examine what people tell you. Not everyone who talks about God comes from God. (4:1)

This is true in all areas of life, and particularly in the area of love. Our culture, with its distorted definition of love, perpetuates an if-it-feels-right-do-it, God-wants-me-to-be-happy kind of "love."

And this culture has creeped into the church, causing believers to look just like unbelievers in their lack of Christ-like love for others. {So much for 1 Corinithians 13, huh??} Of course, it's not a new phenomenon. The history of the church is fraught with countless believers who have failed to love others well.

"There are teachers in the church today who resist the truth that the power to love comes only through My crucified Son [1 John 2:18-19, 4:1-6]. They focus more on what I have called you to do than on who I have created you to be and who you now are because of My Son." 66 LL

John's letter reminds me of the central importance of love - both loving God and loving others - because of who God is. God is love so it's impossible to truly love God without loving people, even the unlovely people around me.

My beloved friends, let us continue to love each other since loves comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God. The person who refuses to love doesn't know the first things about God, because God is love - so you can't know him if you don't love. (4:7-8)

My dear, dear friends, if God loved us like this, we certainly ought to love each other. No one has seen God, ever. But if we love one another, God dwells deeply within us, and his love becomes complete in us - perfect love! (4:11-12)

If he won't love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can't see? The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You've got to love both. (4:20-21)

This truth has been ringing in my ears this week as I seek to love one of the most difficult people in my life. (Gotta love the holidays!) As I find myself becoming irritated or drained, which has already happened multiple times, I have retreated to God's Word and my journal, reminding myself that I can live deeply in Christ (2:28), and then have re-engaged with a better perspective. I don't have to be a slave to these erratic emotions.

And this week, as I've been tempted to rebel against God's command for me to love those who are frustrating at best, I hear Larry Crabb's words as well:

"[God speaking:] Reject such lies. Celebrate the cross. Know that My seed, My relational energy, is now in you. You're still quite capable of living like the devil. Adam's seed is still in you, the self-centered fleshly energy that continues to argue that living for your own well-being at the expense of others is justified and sometimes necessary.

"But you are not the devil's child. You are not a citizen of this world. You are not a slave to your flesh. You are Mine!" 66 LL 

Lord, on this day of Thanksgiving, I'm profoundly grateful for who You are and for all You are teaching me. I pray You'll continue to guide me into loving You and others well.