DEVOTIONAL SERIES ON LOVE (part-46)

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

BIBLE PASSAGE:
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 develop the same characteristics of Jesus. And
when we do, we are confirming to ourselves, to others, and to God,
that we belong to Him. God expects those who belong to Him to have,
and to show love for others.

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. The great love of Jesus showed
a sensitivity to the needs of others (and He still has it today).

To emphasize the importance of man’s love for men, Jesus 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 might be non-existent without the help
of the Holy Spirit. Why? Because some people are hard to love some
of the time, and some are difficult to love all the time. However, Jesus
showed that He could rise above the natural tendency of mankind and
love those who not only disliked Him but wanted to kill Him. That kind
of love doesn’t come naturally, so it must be a heavenly gift, right?

Love is expressed through concern for others. When others are hurting,
love wants to know why, and love wants to know 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. They
assure others that when they need you, you will be there to help out,
even though it might be an inconvenience for 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 says or does. We shouldn’t keep our heads in the sand, but we
shouldn’t be smug and think we always know what another person is
thinking based on their words or actions.

As an example, sometimes a person may be affected adversely by some
medicines a doctor has prescribed for them. As we know, medicines can
have many side effects which may be different for each person. The truth
is, another person may be frustrated with how they are affected by the
drugs they are required to take. If it weren’t for the medicine, they might
have an entirely different personality.

ACTION:
What number would register on your own personal love meter? Do you
want others to love you, and yet you fail to love them in return? How
often do you pray specifically for others (by name)? When is the last time
you have gone out of your way to help or encourage someone else?

Satan wants us to think things like,
    “They are being melodramatic; they just need to get over it”
    “Someone else needs to encourage them; it’s just not my thing”
    “Others know I care about them and pray for them so why
      should I tell them?”

Satan wants to blind us from the positive impact we can have on others
when we let them know we love and pray for them. God may want to use
us specifically to encourage someone. We don’t know what is going on in
the heart and mind of others, but God does. Consequently, He knows the
impact each person can have on the life of someone who needs to ‘feel’
love and encouragement.

We shouldn’t miss these opportunities to obey the Lord’s desire to use us
for lifting the spirits of another person. It’s not about how we appear to
others, it’s all about our love for the Lord and our desire to be obedient
to His desires for us.

Do you want/expect others to ‘show love for you’,
but you fail to ‘show love for others’?

Satan wants us to be selfish and self-centered so we will be disobedient
and ignore the opportunities God gives us to love others (which includes
telling them and sometimes making special efforts to show them they are
loved).

We may ask,
    “What can I do to show others they are loved?”
As mentioned before, we can tell them. We readily text others about
all kinds of things, so why not send a short text to someone who is sick,
facing a surgical procedure, recovering from surgery, distraught over
the loss of a loved one, having financial issues, suffering emotionally,
etc.?

God may inspire us to take a meal to someone who is sick, has lost a
loved one, or just needs a ‘pick me up’. As followers of Jesus, we should
never forget that God will recruit us to do some things when He wants
to have an impact on the life of someone. How will we respond to His
desire to use us? If we never feel His desire to use us in some way, what
does that say about our relationship with Him?

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 us.
Humility also shows an absence of arrogance, and a lack of an attitude that
everything is all about us.

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

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