The Initiator of Love
1 John 4:19-21
19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Those who say, “I love God,” and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. 21 The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.
Throughout the Easter Season, the lectionary included readings from 1 John. It is possible that 1, 2, and 3 John and the gospel according to John have been written by the same person or group of people from that particular community. Several themes and images run through all four writings. 1 John focuses on themes of light and love. God is light, and we are called to be children of light and to walk in the light of God. Here, in these selected verses and throughout the letter, God is love, and because God is love, and we are children of God, we are called to walk in that love.
“We love because he first loved us.” That is a simple verse, but the depth of its meaning is almost unfathomable. God is the initiator of love, is the instigator of love. Because God has first loved us, we are able to love God and others. Without God’s love, we couldn’t love, or wouldn’t know how to love.
What does that mean for us? I think it is difficult to fully wrap our minds around what is being said with this first. It is because of God and God’s love that we are able to be who we are – children of God. It all begins with God. Everything we do or attempt to do is a RESPONSE to God. That has profound implications. Think about it: everything you say or do or attempt is a response to God’s love. In other words, it’s all grace – and you are only responding to the gift that God has first given you.
Everything we do or attempt to do is a response to what God has already done, namely, love us. As verse 20 and following point out, our responses are manifested and revealed, most often, in our dealings with others. “20 Those who say, “I love God,” and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen.” What we say or do matters. Our actions affect others, and our actions demonstrated toward others reflect our response to God.
“We love because (God) first loved us.” How are you going to respond to that as you live your life today? What difference will it make? Let us pray that we will respond to God’s gift of grace as children who share the love that we have received through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.