“Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” (1 John 4:11-12)
1 John 4:8 makes the clear, concise assertion that ‘God is love’. He is the epitome of love; the one true example this life affords. So if we are to show this world that we are different in a good way we need to love one another within the body of Christ. This whole concept of knowing God and loving Him is illogical and strange. This is because He is unseen. He is unseen because He is a spirit. People can see God in us if we portray Him in the proper light by loving each other. That can be easier said than done.
"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them.” (Luke 6:32)
Loving those in the body that are unlovely is the true test. Don’t you doubt for a moment that there will be people in the body of Christ who will rub you the wrong way. Perhaps they are an aggressive ‘Type A’ personality who is in your face or maybe a controller who needs to lead rather than be led. God made us all and He loves each one of us without condition or hesitation; even the ones who we feel are unlovely. Being kind to those around us who are irascible* or emotionally draining can be challenging. I don’t believe God expects us to devote all our time to them unless we feel led by the Spirit to do so; however, we may be the one ray of sunshine in their otherwise dreary day. Some folks may believe in God, yet have a perpetually cloudy disposition. As we pray for others, pray for them that we might be Christ to them and as a result hope may rise up in their hearts. Remember, nothing is impossible for God. As we live lives obedient to His word and spread His love around like fertilizer to those believers and non-believers around us, we will begin to see positive results like daffodils breaking through the soil in search of sunlight. We all have faults and foibles that annoy somebody. Be tolerant and show the love of Christ first to our brothers and sisters in the faith and then to each one we meet as we go through our day. You will bless someone and in return also be blessed. Ask yourself “How can I bless someone today?” and see what happens.
WALK WITH THE KING TODAY AND BE A BLESSING!
*quick-tempered
