IF YOU CLAIM TO KNOW GOD, CAN OTHERS TELL BY THE LOVE THEY SEE IN YOU?

SCRIPTURE:
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.  
(1 John 4:8)

MEDITATION:
When you read the verse in 1 John 4:8, 
does it make you pause and think about the level of love in your own heart?
As true believers, God expects us 
to work at developing the same characteristics of Jesus.
When we do, 
we are confirming to ourselves, and to God, that we belong to Him.
God expects those who truly belong to Him to have, and show love.

Look at the love of Jesus.
He wept tears of compassion at the graveside of a friend. 
He mourned over Jerusalem, because as a city, 
it had lost its appreciation for the things of the Spirit. 
His great heart was sensitive to the needs of others. 

To emphasize the importance of man’s love for men, 
He amended the old commandment
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart 
and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind”
to include, 
“and, Love your neighbor as yourself”.

Love is a special emotion 
that could be non-existent without the help of the Lord.
Why? 
Because some people can be hard to love either all the time, or at times.
Jesus, however, showed us how He could rise above a natural inclination 
and love those who not only disliked Him, but wanted to kill Him.
That kind of love does not come naturally, so it has to be a gift from above.

Love is expressed through concern for others.
When others are hurting, 
love wants to know why, and what they can do to help.
Listening to others (really listening and 
not thinking about what you plan to say) is an expression of love.
Trustworthiness and dependability are both expressions of love.
It assures others that when they need you, 
you will help out, even if it inconveniences you.

Not being judgmental is another expression of love.
The world wants to encourage us to assume we know the meaning 
behind everything another person does or says.
We shouldn’t keep our heads in the sand, but we should not be smug 
and think we know what another person is thinking by what they do or say.
As an example, 
sometimes a person may be affected adversely from some medicines.
Without the medicines, they could be entirely different.

ACTION:
What number would register on your own personal love meter?
Do you want others to love you, but fail in your efforts to reciprocate?
How often to you pray specifically for others (by name)?
When is the last time you have gone out of your way to help someone?

Do you expect others to 'do acts of love for you',
but you fail to 'do acts of love for them'?
Jesus spoke about the importance of doing things for others.
"Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you 
must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your 
slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, 
and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:26-28)

When Paul wrote to the Philippians, he addressed relational love.
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility 
value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each 
of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:3-4)

When we read the words from Paul, we see that humility is related to love.
Humility includes being appreciative when others express their love to you.
Humility also shows an absence of arrogance, 
and an attitude that everything is all about you.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me even while I was alienated 
toward Jesus. I am thankful that Your love pierced my heart and guided 
me to Jesus for salvation. I can never thank You enough for the salvation 
You gave to an undeserving soul like me. Teach me to learn and develop 
the characteristics of Jesus in my own life. I pray that You will start by 
teaching me to love. I know that when I do that, the other characteristics 
will become more natural for me. Forgive me for the times I have been 
selfish and failed to show love to others. Sensitize my heart with Your 
compassion so that I can truly love others and love You.”