If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? The Apostle John poses this question to you and to me as a test of our fellowship with God and having Jesus within us.
16 We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? 18 Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.
1John 3:16-18 NLT
The ultimate expression of love came through the Lord Jesus, who was willing to sacrifice himself on the cross for our reconciliation. The loving God who was in the heavens determined that he would send part of himself, God the Son, to come to earth to live the life we could not live, die the death we could not die, to provide the eternal life we did not deserve.
This was an amazing sacrifice.
John starts this portion of scripture with the example of Jesus, but then moves into our fitting response, which is not to sacrifice our lives through death. It is sacrificing through living through the practical loving of our neighbours.
Do you have enough to live well? Share with others. There is another sharp contrast here. John loves the light vs. darkness, good vs, evil, and love vs. hate. If we have no compassion, then God’s love cannot be in us. And what does compassion look like? Helping our neighbours who are struggling.
As I write this, there is an international crisis in Turkey where earthquakes have devastated their country. Ukraine is still under attack by the Russians. There are many international neighbours to help. Many come here as refugees and need support.
There are neighbours in our own communities who have a difficult time with the inflationary pressures we all face. You can help. I can help. And it turns out that doing so is living the truth of Jesus in our hearts. Act in love…
Amen.
Marc Kinna
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