Love

1 John 3:15-21 - Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.  This is how we have come to know love: He laid down His life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers.  If anyone has this world’s goods and sees his brother in need but closes his eyes to his need—how can God’s love reside in him?  Little children, we must not love with word or speech, but with truth and action.

 In an engine-room it is impossible to look into the great boiler and see how much water it contains. But running up beside it is a tiny glass tube, which serves as a gauge. As the water stands in the little tube, so it stands in the great boiler. When the tube is half full, the boiler is half full; when the tube is empty, the boiler is empty. Do you ask, "How do I know I love God? I believe I love Him, but I want to know." Look at the gauge. Your love for your brother is the measure of your love for God.—S. S. Chronicle.

In the last several months, I have had the privilege of experiencing the love of God through scores of my brothers and sisters in Christ.  I have seen it through people giving an encouraging word, providing food for my family, visiting me in the hospital, sending a card, helping financially, or sending an encouraging email or text.  One of the people said to me, “This is how it should always be in the body of Christ.”  I agree.  So does the Word of God.  In fact, how we love and treat our brothers and sisters is the gage that shows our true love for God.  We must always take advantage of the opportunities before us to demonstrate God’s love.  Also, we must be willing to receive those demonstrations of love.  If you find that you have little or no love for your “brother”, then ask God to forgive you and to fill your heart with a love for Him, which will in turn cause you to develop a love for others.  Have a great rest of the week!

Scott Forsythe

Dean of Student & Spiritual Life