Who would you rather be? The world’s smartest person or the world’s most loving person?

Things that come with being the smartest: Lots of money. Recognition. Comfortable life. Power (control). Pride.
Things that come with being the most loving: Lots of heartaches. Sacrifice. Poverty. Weakness. Humility.

But consider this question: Who do you appreciate and admire most among the people you have known? Are they the smart people or are they the loving people?

If our knowledge of God does not make us more loving, then it’s false knowledge.

“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

How do we make ourselves more loving? How do we love those who are so different? Deeply meditate on what Jesus did for us.

“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him…. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” 1 John 4:10

Our motive for loving those who are unlovely to us is found in realizing how Jesus loved us. Can you think of anyone who would be more different than we are to God? He is a Creator. We are creatures. He is holy. We are unholy. He is perfect. We are sinful. He is infinite. We are finite… And yet, He loved us so much that He gave His Son!

The ultimate test for the genuineness of our faith is in how we love those who are different from us. And to do this, we must be born again. We cannot make ourselves more loving. It must come from God. Jesus must be beautiful to us. Jesus must be desirable to us. If not, why would we love Him in the first place, and love others in the second place?

Pray: Open the eyes of my heart, Lord. I want to see You…

PH