1 John 3:19-20 By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.
The expression of love to our brothers and sisters confirms our faith in and obedience to God. It provides assurance of our salvation and that we understand the truth and live it out. When love is not present or if our love is conditioned by selfishness, we must look deeply within and listen to the Holy Spirit’s conviction. If our hearts are not full of unconditional love, then we must ask ourselves if we are right with God or if we need to confess sins of self. We cannot fool God with our hidden attitudes and motives. It seems like people are constantly negotiating and strategizing how to get ahead in this life. I see it every day in the traffic as cars and jeepneys try to push ahead. Yesterday, there was some hotrod looking car that literally pushed its way into my lane. I laid on the horn because he was coming inches from my car. This illustrates to me the self-centeredness that drives the human heart. The only redemption from this is the atonement of Christ and letting this penetrate our inner-most being, cleansing out the self and replacing it with love.
For older posts, click here.