Scripture

Dear children, let us not merely say we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.

Observation

The message we heard from the beginning is we should love one another. Love for our christian brothers and sisters shows we have God’s life. Anyone who hates another person is a murderer at heart and does not have God’s life in him.

Jesus showed us real love by giving up His life for us. So we should give up our lives for others. If we have enough money to live well, we should share with a brother or sister in need.

We must believe in the name of Jesus, and love one another as He has commanded us.

Application

One of the unexpected features of the internet age has been the rise of tribalism on social media. It seems that the more we are connected, the more we feel the need to identify with a particular group.

Some groups are happy to welcome and endorse people as long as they toe the party line. When someone expresses an opinion contrary to the correct position, the mob descends with virtual pitch forks and harries them until they recant.

Christians are not to be like this. We are to love one another with genuine love. We must not love one another in words alone, or merely in theory. Love must be practical.

So we must continue to love people when it is not convenient or when they say things or do things a little outside our comfort zone.

John gives the example of someone who has enough money to be comfortable. They must have genuine compassion on those who are struggling financially.

Our love for one another must be like God’s love to us. It must be unconditional, unfailing, giving, costly.

We are the people who embrace the unlovely and the different ones. We are the people who hang in there with people through their struggles and challenges. We are the people who love because God first loved us,

Prayer

Father, your love for us is ever lasting. Help me to love the people around me and to be as consistent in that as you are. Amen.