Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
1 John 4:11
Share God’s Love
Daily Devotion – May 8, 2024
Devotion based on 1 John 4:11
See series: Devotions
Imagine turning on your television to watch the NCAA basketball tournament. You have been waiting all year for this. Just as you settle in, the game breaks for the first round of commercials and, of course, they go right to a political ad for the upcoming election. You brace yourself for a harsh, critical presentation where one candidate blasts the other. But, to your surprise, that is not what you see. Rather, you see the two nominees complimenting each other, shaking hands, and telling America how much they like each other. The commercial ends with the two opposing candidates giving each other a big hug and promising to get together soon.
Does that seem far-fetched? Of course it does. That is not the world we live in. We live in a world where political candidates sling mud at each other through all forms of media. We live in a world where citizens threaten each other on various social media platforms. We live in a world where people swear at each other in traffic and ignore each other as they pass through the halls at the office.
God says we ought to love one another, but often, we fail in doing that. Thankfully, God has loved us without fail. Even though we could not perfectly show our love to others, God demonstrates his love in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. God is different. He loved us even when we did not love him back. In Jesus, our sins are forgiven. Our imperfect love for others is forever washed away.
So now, as forgiven and loved children of God, we are free to love others. To be different from the world we live in. To show love in our thoughts, words, and actions, regardless of whether someone else shows the same love to us. To share the love of Jesus in how we treat others.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, forgive me for my imperfect love toward others. Thank you for forgiving those sins. Empower me and encourage me to live a life of love toward others in this unloving world. Amen.
