Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Accepting of the Elderly

1 John 4:7-21


Dr. Betsy Thomas
7 Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 


The most talked about theme in the Bible is love. Love is emphasized as being given first and not to be received first. In this portion we read about God’s love and how he wants us to love. As Apostle John writes this epistle, he makes three key points. God is the creator or origin of all love (vs.7-8); God represents what genuine true love is (vs.9-10); and God commands us to love one another (vs11-12). To know God is to love so if we do not love one another then we do not know God.

God is love. God’s love is completely different than human love. It is unconditional and he doesn't love us because we’re attractive, or we make him laugh, or give him a shoulder to lean on, or we have a nice personality which is what humans make the mistake doing when looking for love but he loves us because he IS love. He created us so that we can have a personal relationship with him and show his love through our love for one another.

God’s definition of love was sacrifice so to love means to sacrifice. In verse 9-10 it says “he sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.” We know God did not have to send his Son to show us what love is but God knew that sacrifice was love. When we sacrifice we go through pain and it truly shows what we’re willing to go through in order to get our message across and that was what God wanted us to see.

God’s loves is also present in our elders who sacrificed everything to come to this country and build up a life from nothing. Part of the problem is that we tend to think about our elderly as more wrinkled, less capable versions of the people they used to be but they kept us aware of our roots and culture. By understanding the elderly we will be better equipped to communicate with and help them so that they'll enjoy an old age we may wish to emulate when our turn comes around. We are to see them as the treasures they are, not as obligations or relics of time passed. In an article written by Paul Tautges he tells us based on biblical passages 37 ways to love one another.
(http://counselingoneanother.com/2011/08/17/36-ways-to-love-one-another/).

God just doesn't want us to love one another as he loves us, he commands it. If we don’t love one another then we don’t love God. 


Prayer: Lord, help us to remember your great love for us. Help your love to be reflected in our daily lives and when we interact with people. Thank you for being the definition of love and for loving us when we are not lovable.  Amen


Thought for the day: God is love and if we love God we must love one another.



St. Thomas MTC, NY

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