1 JOHN 2:9-10

Anyone who claims to live in God’s light and hates a brother or sister is still in the dark. It’s the person who loves brother and sister who dwells in God’s light and doesn’t block the light from others. (MSG)

TO PONDER

You would think it is a simple thing to do, quite natural in fact, to love your family, right?

Unfortunately, as anyone with a family will often find, our family can frustrate, exasperate, irritate, and dare I say, irk us in a greater way than anyone else…

Today’s verses are talking about just such relationships within the church community, our spiritual family who we sit with every Sunday in worship, and who we, regularly share our lives with… hopefully.

So, the simple thing John is telling us in these verses is not to hate your spiritual family but to love them; again, simple right?

Here is the good news, yes, the gospel of vibrant relationships. The first part is we get to reflect God’s love, God’s love light, His grace which He has already lavished on us. The second part is we get to practice on family, people who are called to expansively love us back.

Paul puts it this way in Romans 12:13 “Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” Because, true hospitality is expansive love, or love expanded outward.

Paul tells us to practice/train-in love “in-house” through providing hospitality within our spiritual family. He tells us to become expansive in hospitality to create vibrant relationships. 

PRAYER:  Almighty God, I thank you for your aggressively persistent forgiveness which you have shown to me, the expansive grace you pour out onto me and your invitation to join you in displaying this grace through expansive hospitality. Amen.

Today's devotion written by Danny Brock, LifeWay Westside.