Day 19
Read 1 John 3:10
“...it is evident who are children of God, and who are children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.”
What these verses are saying is that, if you are a child of God, meaning you believe in Jesus Christ and follow God, then it is evident. You can see by your own actions whether you truly are a follower of God by practicing righteousness and loving your brother. There is no grey area in the verses from John. You quite simply cannot hate someone and love God. There are no exceptions to this, there are no special circumstances or “what ifs”.
There are practical steps we can take towards love. If there is even an ounce of contempt, we need to choose to love that person. The next time you sense bitterness towards someone else, give them a gift card or do something for them and maybe even make it anonymous. Choose to show them love and therefore drive out that hate that is rooted in the devil.
Take a moment to ask God to reveal areas in your life where you are not showing love, or where there may be hate for someone else and ask him to remove it!