Thursday, March 10, 2011

Even those you don't like...


Picture with me if you will, someone you really don't like. Got it? Now, why don't you like them? For me it's because the person is arrogant and selfish. I get so frustrated with them. Some people just don't seem to be very easy to love. Yet, God calls us to love one another! That means everyone, not just those who love you back or are nice to you.

1 John 3:16-18:
16By this we know love, that He laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? 18Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

We only experience love because of Christ. In patterning our lives after Him we are called to love each other and to show that love in our actions.

A little farther and we read-
1 John 4:7-10:
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.



We can only show love because of what God has done. God is to be our example of unconditional love. He gave His only Son, which has to be the most amazing show of love. Not only did He give His Son to die, but for an incredibly wicked man-kind, the very ones who would crucify His beloved Son. If anything we owe it to God to share His love with everyone.

Let's Continue:
1 John 4:19-21

19 We love because He first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from Him: whoever loves God must also love his brother

I take it that John is saying that if we hate someone we do not truly love God. We need to be free of our hatred or even "strong dislike" and, with God's help, learn how to have unconditional love for one another.

1 Corinthians 16:13-14:
13 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, be brave, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done in love.

2 comments:

  1. Thanks so much! I checked out your site some and it seems awesome! Later on I will try to browse more. :) God bless!

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  2. Nice blog, glad I found it!
    You can find me at:
    http://imlivingforchrist.blogspot.com
    In HIS service,
    Rebecca

    ReplyDelete