There is a means for evaluating our walk with God. Although we can’t use it to judge others because we can’t enter other people’s hearts to know them completely, we can use it to search our own heart.
The criterion is love.
This doesn’t mean God won’t forgive us when we fail to love—or even if we struggle with a generally unloving attitude. He understands our nature.
It does mean we can’t repeatedly and consistently reject the people He brings into our lives. If we fail to love, we can let Him work with us and change our hearts until we do love others.
The love of Jesus is our standard. Jesus showed His love by giving His life. Through Him we understand love includes more than saying positive words—although that may be an important part of God’s work in us. John said, And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, . . How does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or tongue, but in deed and in truth? (I Jn. 3:16b-18 NKJV)
Originally published February 19, 1993.
Picture: Flower in Arizona desert, 2008. Photo by Patty.
The criterion is love.
This doesn’t mean God won’t forgive us when we fail to love—or even if we struggle with a generally unloving attitude. He understands our nature.
It does mean we can’t repeatedly and consistently reject the people He brings into our lives. If we fail to love, we can let Him work with us and change our hearts until we do love others.
The love of Jesus is our standard. Jesus showed His love by giving His life. Through Him we understand love includes more than saying positive words—although that may be an important part of God’s work in us. John said, And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, . . How does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or tongue, but in deed and in truth? (I Jn. 3:16b-18 NKJV)
Originally published February 19, 1993.
Picture: Flower in Arizona desert, 2008. Photo by Patty.
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