Our Love

I have noticed from reading and listening to the Old Testament that the prophets of God were not all that well liked. In fact, often when they spoke for God they would generate dislike and would sometimes find themselves facing death. Things haven’t changed much today. Around the world those who stand with God are often abused by those of the world.

In one of my 1 John classes, we covered verses 15 – 17 of chapter two: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (ESV).

The text indicates a tension between two loves: a love for the world and its things and a love for our Father*. This is a case where two loves cannot exist at the same time because they are opposite. In one case your love is toward the world, and what it has to offer, or what is associated with it that you like because of what it does for you. Your love is a selfish love as it relates to how you will or how you think you will benefit. It is a love that stems from the attitude of “I want for me”. On the other hand the love of the Father turns our focus away from us to him and ultimately to others. Not loving the world or its things opens up our heart to be filled with love from the Father with which we can return love toward him and others. It is a love that is willing to sacrifice to advance the kingdom of God or to benefit others. Love for the world and its things, seeks a benefit for us while a focus toward the Father brings joy to him and a benefit to others.

This kind of came into focus last night (Sunday, October 16, 2011 here in China) as I was watching the Sunday morning service at my home church in McKinney and a comment was made in reference to an upcoming Cowboy football game. The promise was made to finish at church so that you could be home in time for a future game. If there are two events on the calendar and they conflict in time how do you choose? If the two events were a time of worship and the Cowboy football game, which would you choose and why? How would your choice show what you place the greatest value in or enjoy the most? That comment from church caused me to wonder what American Christians treasure the most; their relationship with God or their relationship with their football team?

* Considering 1 John 4:7 and 9 – 10 we can probably conclude that “Love of the Father” carries a double meaning, referring both to the love God has for his people and the love they have for him.