Daily Word of Grace: March 18, 2020
In the critically acclaimed (for real) television sitcom The Office Steve Carrell played Michael Scott, the hilarious and neurotic regional manager in the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. One of his best lines ever was this gem, “I want people to be afraid of how much they love me” (10 second link). In this time of fear we need to be reminded that scripture assures us, “God is love” (1 John 4:4)-not, “God is fear.” As we see every day right now, fear can and does lead to many things-blame, anger, selfishness, prejudice, etc.-but fear never leads to love. On the other hand, check out what love does to fear: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear”-and this kind of casting-out-fear love of God for a fearful world was expressed by Jesus for all of us on the cross: “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:18-19). As you already know, at the Last Supper Jesus identified love as the sole litmus test of being a Christian-“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35)–and then the very next day showed us what that kind of love looks like. In response we are called to treat others with that kind of love-not blame or anger or selfishness or prejudice-but love.
Love and Prayers for you,
Dave