Our Scripture reading today is 1 John 4:10-11, "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another."
The holy One loved the sinner before the sinner could ever love the holy One. God's
example of love should be what we are striving for on a daily basis. Love should start
with us. We ought to be the initiator of love. It is not our love, but it is God's love
flowing through us to others. “If there was to be reconciliation between God and man, man ought to
have sent to God; the offender ought to be the first to apply for forgiveness; the weaker should apply
to the greater for help; the poor man should ask of him who distributes alms; but ‘Herein is love’ that
God ‘sent.’ He was first to send an embassy of peace.” (Spurgeon)
There is no better time than the present to love people in spite of how they treat us.
God's Spirit will enable each of God's children to love in this way. This type of love
is part of being filled with the Spirit. Ask for it today!