How We Know What Love Is

Today's Reading:
Isaiah 41:17-43:13
1 John 3:7-24
Psalm 145:8-13 
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Focus Verses: 1 John 3:16-20
16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 19 This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence 20 whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.

Insight:
Jesus' love was more than words and feelings; he demonstrated God's love through the selfless act of laying down his life for us. We are called to follow his example through selflessly laying down our lives for others.

Love must be demonstrated through actions that respond to the practical needs of people around us. Meeting real needs not only proves to others the sincerity of our love, it also confirms it to us. We begin to know that we belong to the truth once we see ourselves living it out—not just talking about it.

Response and Action:
I need to be quick to see the needs of others. I need to be willing to take selfless action to help and address the needs of others. To see needs, but do nothing, is a contradiction. Following Jesus is a call to love, and his call to love is a call to action.

O God, help me to love you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength; and to love my neighbor as myself. Help me to follow Christ's selfless example, watching for the needs of others, and doing what I can to meet those needs. Help me to use every good gift you have given me to bless and encourage others. Through Christ, Amen.

Spiritual Formation Verses: Proverbs 14:21
"He who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who is kind to the needy."