Devotionals

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If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also. 1 John 4:20-21

Let’s be honest. There are people whom it is just not easy to love. Some people make it difficult for us to love them. Sometimes we allow the fleshly tendencies toward fear, envy, covetousness, or self-righteousness convince us not to love others who are different from us, “more blessed” than we are, or “less Christian” than we are.

As Christians, however, we must remember that God loves the unlovable, which is all of us in our un-saved state. To love God means to love what God loves, which is all of us regardless what state we find ourselves in. If a Christian brother or sister is bitter, we must love him or her, anyway. If a Christian brother or sister is withdrawn, we must love him or her, anyway. If a Christian brother or sister has more than we do, we must love him or her, anyway. If a Christian brother or sister has not mastered the art of holiness as much as we think we have, we must love him or her, anyway.

The bottom line is, if we can physically see a Christian brother or sister, we must love him or her, unconditionally. If not, all of our claims that we love the unseen God are false, and our faith is empty.

This Week’s Seed of Faith:

I love my brothers and sisters in Christ regardless of their circumstances, just as my God loves me, regardless of mine. I will not claim to love God, while failing to show love to my Christian brothers and sisters. If I find it difficult to love a brother or sister, I will ask God to help me, and I will love by faith.

**Adapted from the author's website at http://www.seedwords.com/pages.asp?pageid=81100

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