1 John 4:7-10
What a challenge John gives to his readers: If you can’t love those around you, you can’t say you know God.
In other words, if we want to truly live out the call and life of love in this world, we must live life grounded in the God who is love and follow his example. That example is Christ.
To live a life of love, he came and met us where we were. He walked a day, or 30+ years, in our shoes. Jesus took time to understand humankind, and yet he did that in such a way that the holiness and righteousness of God was not compromised. He was able to do this because he was personally and intimately embraced in the identity of his father.
Is that how you have modeled love in your relationships? Have you paused to listen and understand the world your friends, co-workers and neighbors are living in? And have you walked with them in mercy and grace, while not compromising the holiness of God?
If you want to live this kind of life, you must do so my focusing first on the God who is love and allowing Him to embrace you fully. Only then, grounded in Love, can you love like Him in your relationships.
Finally, as we take time to pray for reconciliation in our community and generation, it strikes me that the very thing our culture is crying out for is the very essence of our God- love. Would could happen if the church didn’t just pray for the world to know the God who is love, but they lived in such a way that the world saw the God who is love? That task is too big for us to muster on our own strength. The Church must be fully immersed in the God who is Love first in order to display live out such a holy calling. Make that your prayer today.