Scripture
1 The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
19 By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; 20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything
24 … And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.
Observation
John is focusing on our relationship with God vs our relationship with the world and he repeats over and over this issue of “knowing”.
We can know things ….
But all of this knowledge that we in fact know is a result of and from God himself
We know love! How? Because Jesus paid down his life for us!
We know truth! How? Because God is over all truth and knows everything. God reassured us with His truth
And best of all …
And we can know Jesus! How?
By the Holy Spirt he has given to us.
And outside of this deep knowledge … we can not be surprised when the world does not understand us who are in relationship with God.
They do not know us! Why? Because they do not know God!
Application
Do I lay down my life?
This is how I show I know the love of God and acknowledge what Jesus did for me
Do I respond to the conviction of my heart when I sense that tug or pull in a direction different than what I want to do or think?
If not, then I show that I do not love Truth, but myself
Do I get frustrated and even angry at the world around me?
Perhaps, but I can’t be shocked or surprised.
When you see through an entirely different lens, how can I be shocked that they would see things differently than I do.
In fact, if the world around me does not see things so differently than me, perhaps that should be something of a wake up to myself that I am seeing more like the world than with the eyes of the Holy Spirit and the truth of God.
I most know love.
Know truth.
And know Jesus.
And all of this comes from God.
Prayer
Thank you for your word
Thank you You see me as your child
And forgive me when I want my own way
Show me truth
But especially help me walk in it
In Jesus name
Amen