Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.  1 John 4:8

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Do you have trouble loving others during worship on Sunday morning?

I know I don’t, but in the car on the way home can be a different story altogether.

Me: “Let’s go somewhere for lunch.”

My husband: “I’d really rather go home. I’m tired.”

Me: “You’re always tired.”

My husband: “You’re one to talk after last night.”

Me: “How dare you bring up last night?!”

I’ll let you use your imagination to finish that conversation. Hint: It does not go well.

As we head into the love month that includes Valentine’s Day, our thoughts turn to love. Although the world does its best to define love as something that can be bought, is found under the sheets or expressed with chocolate (and I do so love me some chocolate!), 1 John 4:4-21 is a lesson in true love, pure love.

In this passage, we learn the following:

• God is love;
• God loved us so much that He sent His Son to die so that we might live;
• Because God loves us, we should love each other;
• If we love each other, God is in us and His love is made complete in us;
• We can rely on God’s love for us, giving us “confidence on the day of judgment”;
• “There is no fear in love”;
• “Perfect love drives out fear”;
• We love others because God loved us first; and
• Whoever loves God must also love their brothers and sisters.

There is not much wiggle room in this chapter. It does not say, “God loves us because we’re so good” or “It’s up to you to decide if a brother or sister deserves love.” It does not say, “God loves us most of the time but hates us when we sin” or “Try to be nice and God will live in you.”

This chapter basically says that God is love, through His love for His Son He lives in us and we are to love one another because He loved us first. Period.

That may not fit on a candy heart but it is something that is worth celebrating during this month of love.

So if love is not candy, flowers or scantily clad people making out on television, what does love look like?

• Love is the parents who are in church with their children.
• Love is the brother who feeds the homeless with no thought of reward or thanks.
• Love is the teenager who stands up against the student who is bullying another student.
• Love is letting the other person go in front of you with a smile in the check-out lane.
• Love is saying no when a child or a friend needs a boundary.
• Love is not having to have the last word.
• Love is standing in the gap by lifting someone in prayer.

All of this may sound like a tall order. But if we just focus on this moment, we can give and receive love one person at a time. And if anyone asks, I wouldn’t mind a little chocolate thrown in for good measure.