1 John Chapter 3

Love is one of those abstract concepts that everyone sort of knows, but we might struggle to describe. Love can be understood through its manifestations—what one does out of love. 

 “My little children,” Elder John writes, “let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.” (1 Jn 3:18) While at times it is the thought counts, merely thinking of something cannot match up to taking action. 

Yet what is important is not only what we do out of love, but also the foundation of this love. Love, after all, is inherently related to God, who is the Word and whose nature is love (Jn 1:1; 1 Jn 4:16). And love does not rejoice in iniquity but rejoices in the truth (1 Cor 13:6).

By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. 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? (1 Jn 3:16-17)

While we might assume ourselves to be loving, Elder John gives us a standard we can measure ourselves against. We ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 

Dying for the person from church who sits on the same pew in church as me, or who sits across me in the RE classroom, or whose face I see in my Zoom church meetings …. can I do that? 

What about sharing what we have with a brother in need? Laying down our lives for our brethren begins with acts like going out of our comfort zones to speak with someone new, delivering care packages to the sick, taking time to comfort someone feeling down, or even choosing not to eat meat again or dress in a certain way if it makes someone stumble in faith (1 Cor 8:13).

Here I’d like us to recall the foot washing sacrament. Jesus, out of love, washed the feet of His disciples—His brethren—all but one whom He knew would either deny Him, betray Him, or leave Him in His most difficult moment (Jn 13:1). 

We might think, yeah, that’s Jesus. But importantly, Jesus urged, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.” (Jn 13:14-15) 

Would I be able to wash the feet of someone from church who has irritated, hurt or offended me? Perhaps you have a name in mind here. This is not an easy question to answer.

If we look at the church deeply and sincerely, we cannot deny that there is some love. But as a gathering of imperfect people on their way to becoming perfect in Christ, the truth is that there is much more loving for us to each learn. 

In what ways can you and I open our hearts to show love? It only takes a spark to get the fire going. You and I can each be that spark. 

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