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I John 5: 1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is
the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as
well. (NIV)
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In the community of faith, we do not choose our companions. We do not get to look for the sane, the attractive, or those most likely to help us succeed. We have to make do with what we’re given.* |
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I have attended many bridal showers, weddings, and
baby showers for people who don’t know me well. I feel like I know them because
I rocked them as babies in the church nursery and/or watched them grow up in
youth group with my own kids. These young people are my friends’ children so I
love them – at least enough to show up at their special occasions bearing
gifts.
If I can do that much for the children of my friends, how
much more love should I have for the children of my Heavenly Father? We share a
Father; that makes us brothers and sisters. We don’t choose our biological
siblings so sometimes we are stuck with one or two that we don’t get along with
so well. Our spiritual brothers and sisters, likewise, are not always the
easiest people to love.
In this verse, John doesn’t command us to love the Father’s children – he just says that
everyone who loves the Father loves his child. It is what it is. He helps us
out with this in the next verse by saying, “This is how we know that we love
the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands.” Love and
obey God. Okay. But keep reading. John says that God’s commands aren’t
burdensome and everyone who is born of God overcomes the world (verse 3). If
that’s true, surely it’s possible to love those less lovable people in our
lives. After all, love isn’t a feeling; it’s something you do.
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Obedience is the only proof of love.* |
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