Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4:7-8)
You love, you know God.
You do not love, you do not know God.
As simple as that.
If we love each other, God is present. If we do not love each other, God is not present.
God is love and love comes from God.
If you love, you have been born of God. If you do not love, you have not been born of God.
As simple as that.
No one has ever seen God. If we love one another, God lives in us and so we “see” God.
If we do not love one another, God does not live in us and so we do not “see” God.
As simple as that.
I demonstrate my vertical love toward God when I horizontally love my neighbor.
My neighbor who is near. My neighbor who is far away.
My neighbor who is different. My neighbor who is like me.
My neighbor who is thirsty. My neighbor who is hungry.
My neighbor who is in need. My neighbor who is sick.
The closest way to express God’s love is…
When I love people. People who are like me.
Human beings!
Human beings who were created in God’s image and likeness.
Like me!
Jesus said “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Because without love…
I may be able to speak languages and be a great communicator. I can be a citizen of the world and everybody may understand me in different languages and even angels may understand me, but I will be just an annoying noise like a clanging cymbal for God’s ears without love.
Without love…
I may be able to say things and they may happen in the future. I may prophesy and preach very well. I may know mysteries and have enough knowledge to discuss politics, science, religion and any other matter of life. I may even have faith to tell Mt Everest to move from Himalaya to go somewhere else, but I am nothing without love.
Without love….
I may give all my possessions and resources away and even if I decide to open a Non-Profit Organization to help the poor and offer and give over my body to be burned in front of any public market or plaza on behalf of a “good cause”…
I am nothing and I gain nothing without love.
The apostle Paul finishes the classic text about love in Corinthians 13 telling us…
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
The greatest of these is love because when completeness comes I will not need faith anymore.
Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
We already see Him. No need for faith!
It is done!
Hope? Wait, for what? Hope about what?
It is accomplished!
The most hidden mysteries are now revealed.
Love?
Love will endure forever.
Love is the greatest of these…
Because God is love.
Fábio
Clearwater
