The love test . . .

Love, no matter how the word is used, can be tested. For instance, if someone claims to love pizza but never eats it, what does that reveal about their claim? If a man claims to love a woman but spends all his spare time fishing with his buddies, what will she think? If she says she loves him yet says no to every suggestion he makes, what does that tell him? If I say I love my family but never call them or invited them over, what will they think? If I say I love Jesus but never do what He says, what does that reveal about my claim?

John’s epistle has much to say about love and the importance of demonstrating it. If I claim to be a Christian and never do anything to show it, then my claim would be false. If Jesus lives in me, then His love will become evident in the way I live.

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But 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? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us. (1 John 3:16–24)

That first line sounds extreme but laying down my life for others is not necessarily about physically dying. It can mean putting aside whatever I might want in order to do good for someone else. As the next line says, it could mean that if I have an extra blanket and see a freezing homeless person, I give that blanket to him, or even take him to a warm place and feed him. Doing so might be inconvenient and costly in several ways, but Christian love is like that. Jesus gave up the glories of heaven to lay down His life for my good.

Love is not about words and conversation although some will feel loved just by giving them verbal attention. John says it is about doing something, so even taking time to talk to a lonely senior is doing something.

He puts in a note about doing loving things in truth. My first thought is that whatever I do in the realm of loving others, it must be sincere rather than showing off or with the idea of personal gain. When Jesus died for me, He had nothing to gain for Himself as He hung on that cross. God glorified Him later. As I read the Scriptures, I realize that my reward for loving others is also reserved for later also. Being with Him in glory is the reward of all who belong to Jesus. It is the result of faith, the kind of faith that produces this kind of loving obedience.

One other note from this passage is that loving others in obedience produces confidence. When I obey the Lord, I know that I belong to Jesus and am abiding in Him because of it. With that understanding, I also know that He lives in me.

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Lord Jesus, today I have a medical appointment and a long to-do list. As I go through this day, may I listen to You for ways that I can show love to others, not just kind friendliness but that same sacrificial love that You demonstrated when You washed the disciples’ feet and when You went to the cross to die for our sins.

Today’s thankful list . . .

- the power of God’s love enables me to trust Him with everything.

- being able to hand over a desire to God, trusting Him to do what is right with it.

- safety on busy and icy streets today and getting home before snow began to fall.

- a long nap — much needed.

- hubby signed up to play pickle ball, so glad for his health and desire to be active.

- progress on my projects.

- homemade chicken vegetable soup.