“This is how God showed His love among us:  
He sent His One and only Son into the world 
that we might live through Him.  
This is love: not that we loved God, 
but that He loved us and sent His Son 
as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.  
Dear friends, since God so loved us, 
we also ought to love one another.  
No one has ever seen God but 
if we love one another, God lives in us 
and His love is made complete in us.”
~~1 John 4:9-12~~

As I read this passage this morning, the biggest thing that popped off the page at me was: “No one has ever seen God, but if we love one another…”

As I sit here pondering and listening, the Spirit brought to mind how Jesus used the wind with Nicodemus to teach him about the Spirit of God.  If you think of the wind in the context of this verse, no one has ever seen the wind, but you can see the effect of the wind’s presence by looking at the things around us—the leaves of a tree blowing, the seeds of a dandelion being blown (like shown in the picture above), etc.  

First John 4:8 says, “…God IS love”.  While no one has ever seen God (John 1:18), the effect of His love was seen when Jesus died on the cross and rose again so salvation would be available to all who seek it.  So what does that mean for us?  It’s simple.  Just like the effect of God’s love was seen through Jesus’ love for the world, the effect of God’s love will be seen as we love one another.  

People will see what God’s love is like by seeing how His children love one another.  

PAUSE TO PONDER.  So how effective is the life you live, how you treat people, in making God’s love be seen?   If you’re like me, my shoulders are a little slumped in discouragement.  If I’m being completely honest, I struggle to love people sometimes.  Why is it that it’s so hard to love some people?  It must be their fault, being so unlovable and all, right?  I wish that were the case, haha, it’d make me much for comfortable.  But in reality, it’s more likely because we are trying to love others in our own strength.  Try to love that way, and you will fail–every single time.  God gave us a clue to our success when He connected “God living in us” to “loving one another”.  We can’t, but God can through us.  

If we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us.

PAUSE TO PONDER.  What does it mean for God’s love to be “made complete” in us?  It’s important to note that the word used for “made complete” <teleioō> is in the passive voice (I am the receiver of the action). and it is in the participle mood (this is an “-ing” word denoting continued action).   Made complete literally means, accomplish, but is used figuratively in this verse to mean consummate in character:—consecrate, finish, fulfill, make perfect.  The dictionary defines consummate as meaning, extremely skilled and accomplished; of the highest degree; complete in every detail.  Just wow…huh?  

So, summing up the feel of “made complete”.  God keeps doing the work. I keep receiving His work.  As I continue choosing to allow His love to flow, not just “to” me, but “through” me to others, God is making His love complete in every detail because it isn’t stopping with me.  Think of yourself as the straw through which others can drink in the love of God.  At times, “self” can clog that straw.  We must not allow that to happen.  

PAUSE TO PONDER “complete in every detail”.  First John 3:18 gives us a description of that.  Check it out.

Little children, let’s not love with word or 
with tongue, but in deed and truth.
~~1 John 3:18~~

LOVE, not merely with words <logos> a word, uttered by a living voice, that embodies a conception or idea– a kind or style of speaking–its use as respect to the MIND alone.  

• • This would be like using “love you gurllllll” as Christianese, while you wouldn’t walk across the street for that person.  Or how about, “I’ll pray for you” and then not doing it.  It’s just words.  God intends for us to mean what we say.  If I am saying “I love you” to someone, then I better mean that I am willing to sacrificially give to meet that person’s needs – like Jesus loved me.  Oh my…ouch.   

LOVE, not merely with tongue <glōssa> the tongue as the part of the body used for speech.  

• • Don’t just flap your lips.  Do something.  Love is not merely a “say”, it’s a “do” (which segues into the next phrase).

LOVE with actions <ergon> a thing done – the idea of working is emphasized as opposed to that which is less than work.

• • Loving in action is hard!  As self-centered humans, loving people doesn’t come naturally because it is work.  Loving those “spiritual sandpaper people” God has placed in your life takes work.   I must make the effort to get out of the way and allow God to love them through me. 

LOVE in truth <alētheia> in accordance with fact, without partiality 

• • We can’t pick and choose who to love.  Jesus loved without partiality.  Jesus loved the world enough to lay down His life for us – that included the repentant thief next to Him and the unrepentant one as well.  Jesus loved Judas enough to wash His feet, knowing he was going to betray Him in a few short hours.  Jesus loved without partiality and so must we.  

When we choose to get out of the way, cooperate with the Spirit of God within us, it’s only then that our love will be complete in every detail.