When I was growing up, on the surface, my family was well off. My parents had respectable and well-paying jobs, had two cars, and lived in a generously sized suburban home in a quiet neighborhood.
Yet having material success did not equate to peace and love in our home. Our home was filled with conflict, animosity towards those whom we were supposed to love the most, and jealousy. There was always a sense of wanting more; never having enough. Everyone blamed one another.
The apostle John writes, “Yet if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, does God’s love abide in him?” (1 John 3:17).
Photo by Joshua Sortino from Unsplash.com
Not surprisingly, God was not a part of our home. Our hearts were so closed against one another that there was no space for God. Personal gain was more important than laying down one’s life for the other. Jealousy of other people’s possessions dictated decisions. There was no room for love in any of our hearts.
We were living in a state of spiritual death since we allowed sin to consume our hearts.
In my early twenties I encountered Jesus through the love of newly found friends, colleagues, and serving the needy. It was as if I passed from a path of death to one of life. My problems didn’t disappear, but I came to see the world and others in a new light. This seemingly simple shift in perspective taught me how to love. Christ showed me what it is like to love others as he does.
John writes, “We know that we have passed out death into life, because we have loved our brethren… (1 John 3:14)”.
John’s words ring true in my life now more than ever!
Thank you, Jesus, for leading from death into life and from saving from myself. Never permit me to wonder from you. Amen.
