Read 1 John 4:20–21
Anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot
love God, whom he has not seen.
1 John 4:20
When our hearts are confident toward God, there is no need for us
to pretend, either to God or to other people. If we lack confidence
with God, we will also lack confidence with God’s people. Part of the
torment that fear generates is constant worry.
“How many members do you have in your church?” a visitor
asked the pastor.
“Somewhere near a thousand,” the pastor replied.
“That certainly is a lot of people to try to please!” the visitor
exclaimed.
“Let me assure you, my friend, that I have never tried to please
all my members or even some of them,” the pastor said with a smile.
“I aim to please one person—the Lord Jesus Christ. If I am right with
Him, then everything should be right between me and my people.”
Immature Christians who are not growing in their love for God
may think they have to impress others with their “spirituality.” This
mistake turns them into liars! They are professing something that they
are not really practicing; they are playing a role instead of living a life.
Something to Ponder
What is one act of love you could do for a person as an expression of
your love for God?