Can You?

There is a verse in the Bible that I often re-read before reading any other passage. I have spent months pondering over it, and I think it is one of those verses that we just read over and do not take in what it says. It is found in the fourth chapter of 1 John, verses 20 & 21: “If anyone boasts, ‘I love God,’ and goes on hating his brother or sister thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won’t love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can’t see? The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You’ve got to do both.” (MSG)

I do not want to take this verse out of context because I know that John was explicitly writing to fellow believers about loving their brother and sister in Christ, but this verse has struck a chord with me. It is hypocritical of us to say we love God—who is the definition of love—and yet we cannot love his people He created in His image. I believe the command given within this verse is simple, yet can we do it? Can we love the person whom we see? And yes, I do realize that sometimes it is easier said than done. I know that it may expose areas of your heart that you don’t like because it may bring up judgments you may have or that you never knew you had. And yes, it is a risk, but it is a risk worth taking. It doesn’t matter whether that person is a believer or not when it comes down to it. (Because by loving a non-believer, we are demonstrating the power of the Gospel.) It doesn’t matter what race, cultural or ethnic group they come from. We are called to love, but can you? Can you truly love with your whole heart? Can you love the family on the street, whom you don’t know, that is sifting through garbage? Can you love the street child addicted to solvents because he is trying to curb his hunger? Can you love the girl selling herself for less than $30 to make a living to support her family? Can you love the ladyboy (transgender) who disagrees with your “traditional” point of view?

Maybe you will never have the experience of living in a third-world country, but you still have to face those questions as you go about your busy day in the States (or wherever you live.) Can you love the barista that makes your latté every morning? Can you love the person that bags your groceries or the person that cuts you off as you try to change lanes on the freeway? Can you? I think you can. It may take a different mindset, and no, it won’t happen overnight. We will not be perfect at it because we live in a fallen world, but we do have the Holy Spirit to guide us and the grace of God to redeem us.

So can you? Will you? Will you take the risk? Because I guarantee you it will be a risk worth taking. You won’t look back regretting the fact that you said “Yes” to loving God’s people...your heart will be forever changed…you will feel as though it is bursting at the seams, and you may even wonder why you didn’t fully embrace this command sooner… after all, “We love because He first loved us,” right?