Full Expression
“No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us” (1 John 4.12 NLT).
We may not be able to physically see God on this side of eternity, but we can see His love in “full expression” when we love His Children. Ask any mother or father, and they will say that when their child is loved and blessed, they themselves feel loved and blessed. The same is true with our Heavenly Father. He wants to demonstrate His love in and through His Children. When we love one of God’s People, we actually love the Father. The best way for non-Christians to “see” God is for them to experience first-hand God’s Children loving each other. When Christians lay aside hurts and disagreements, so they can continue to love one another, people will take notice. They will see that there is a stronger love motivating Christians to act in ways that go against the world’s expectations. The world has a selfish love, but God’s love is unselfish, which can only be demonstrated when we continue to love even when we have reason to hate. Loving others is a choice, not a feeling. God can’t command feelings, but He can command us to make a choice that pleases Him. Therefore, we must make the choice to love everyday, so that God can be seen in our actions and lives.
“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other” (John 13.34 NLT).
