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.

Pleasing God

The question today is, “How can I please God?” If I could ask a dozen people, I might get a dozen answers.

Some would say God is pleased when people live an upright, moral life. However, God says we all fall short. Trying to please anyone whose standards are so high that no one can reach them is a futile and frustrating task. God has high standards, but He knew we would never reach them. His plan was not to drive me toward perfectionism, but to show me that I cannot get there.

“Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.” (Galatians 3:21–22)

Trying to please God by obeying His law misses the point of the law.

Others might say God is pleased when I separate myself from this sinful world, but Paul said to do that, I would have to leave this world! (1 Corinthians 5:9-10). There is a sense that I’m not to associate with sinners or participate in what they are doing, but anyone can do that — without dealing with their own sin. Sin comes from the heart, not from hanging around sinful people. When questioned about eating certain foods, Jesus said . . .

"It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person . . . . what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person . . . .” (Matthew 15:11–20)

Pleasing God is far less complicated than trying to remember and keep a mass of rules or trying to avoid all things sinful. The Bible says the place to start is simply believing Him . . .

“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)

But is that simple? I can easily believe that Jesus died to save me from my sin, but does that belief have any effect on how I live? The tests of faith are outlined in 1 John and all of them relate to practice more than proclamation . . .

“Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.” (1 John 3:1–5)

Faith believes that God is in the process of transforming my life AND because I believe Him, I desire to cooperate with what He is doing. To fight the transformation process is a declaration that denies faith and does not please God.

Faith believes that God loves me and therefore I must return that love and demonstrate it by my actions toward others . . .

“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 . . . . 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)

People of faith love God and show it by loving people. Faith and love go together; as do love and action. No one is pleased with a declaration of love that does absolutely nothing to show it. God is pleased by faith that is visible. As someone once said, “Share the Gospel (the message of faith) with everyone, and when necessary use words.”

Lord Jesus, You ask me to trust You with all of life, and as Scripture says, this is the way to please You. I’m still learning, yet how pleased I would be if I put a smile on Your face today.