I am reading 1 John 4 this morning and the subject matter is fear and love and a subtext of Faith.
God… Is… Love!
John hammers this point home, every chance he gets. Love from all sides, at all times… in all circumstances, and for any reason!
“Delightfully loved ones, if he loved us with such tremendous love, then “loving one another” should be our way of life!”
(1 John 4:11, TPT)
He says that love never brings fear (of Judgement and Punishment) – The Aramaic translates: “Fear is suspicious” – I like that!
“Love never brings fear, for fear is always related to punishment. But love’s perfection drives the fear of punishment far from our hearts. Whoever walks constantly afraid of punishment has not reached love’s perfection.”
(1 John 4:18 TPT)
So I was trying to restate the principle of love and fear in my mind…
Let me first put a descriptor on “Love” – If I love someone, I will do my very, very best to create joy in that person. A girl, for example. I will find out what food she likes, and take her to that kind of restaurant (or make that food). I will go out of my way to change my schedule and bus route, just to see her for 5 more minutes a day.
Or if you love hunting, you will take every opportunity to go on every hunt you can, to learn as much as you can. To breathe the outdoor air and walk in nature.
Pick any topic, anything or anyone… If you love them or it, your time and effort will be consumed by it. By Choice!
You will choose to spend every waking moment thinking and pursuing this thing you love…
(So if Jesus says to you: Love your neighbour, and you don’t… then maybe learn to love your neighbour, (not just tolerate) Learn more about them? – Matt 22:39 & 1 John 4:21)
If you do any action in “love”, in other words. It means you probably did it with the best intention, believing from the bottom of your heart that what you did for them is good, just, true and beneficial.
But if fear exists somewhere in this relationship… something is off, something is out of whack… and it calls for an examination. Because fear is suspicious. For instance. Loving a person = Good, Stalking a person you are in love with… = Bad.
But here is where Faith steps in. Once you have done all in love. Then we have Faith that our actions will result in something good: Peace, friendship, understaning, trust, care… and relationship.
Today I will go out and try to see if I can’t start, even if it is at least just for one person, to respond in love, instead of frustration, agitation and anger.
