Loving Our Brothers and Sisters
Open Your Bible
1 John 4:20-21, 1 John 5:1-13, Romans 13:8-14, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, John 1:29-34
BY Kaitie Stoddard
Recently, I received a text message from a friend asking about the Christian life. I read the text several times over with excitement, yes, but with anxiety too. Undoubtedly, it was an answer to over a decade of prayer, a small crack for the light to shine through. But the weight of this opportunity to share my faith in Jesus was also overwhelming.
I think the apostle John would understand both my passion and my pause. Every word he writes drips with longing for people to know the truth: that Jesus is the Son of God, the way to salvation. I long for my friend to know the truth too. But sharing the gospel is on a different level than convincing someone to reduce their gluten intake; it’s a matter of spiritual life and death.
Many churches utilize the personal testimonies of believers as a way to help others see the hand of the One they cannot see. We encourage each other with stories of how God has worked in our lives, how He’s freed us, and how we’ve come to know He is real.
I love testimonies, but sometimes I wrongly believe my own testimony needs to convince people of God rather than simply tell them about what He’s done in my life. I automatically begin thinking about what I should and shouldn’t say, strategizing in my own strength instead of relying on God’s power to help me. No wonder I feel anxious at the mere thought of sharing the gospel.
John rightly points us beyond his own testimony and on to God’s, which is far greater (1John 5:9). You and I aren’t the only ones testifying that Jesus is King; the Creator of the universe and everything He’s created declare the truth too (Psalm 19:1). God Himself declares the truth of Christ:
Through the Spirit, the water, and the blood (1John 5:7–8).
Through prophecies and power (Matthew 1:18–24).
Through the baptism of Christ Jesus (Matthew 3:16–17).
Through Christ’s perfect sacrificial death (Matthew 26:28).
“The one who loves God must also love his brother and sister,” in both word and deed (1John 4:21). When friends and family ask us where our hope comes from, we can let go of the pressure to find the perfect words or our need to convince them of the truth of the gospel of Christ. As God’s daughters, it is not just our testimony that matters. We are also bearing witness to God’s testimony—one that never fails. “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. The one who has the Son has life. The one who does not have the Son of God does not have life” (John 5:11–12).
64 thoughts on "Loving Our Brothers and Sisters"
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In response to Claire’s post : Hi Claire. I grew up in a strict catholic home. I remember I have accepted crust 2008 and God been pulling at me to get baptized. I’ve made excuses and marriage issues moved from Ca to Az it took time to find a church. It’s been since Sept attending ROCKPOINT and I feel the push. Keep praying for me to not let anything stop me this time
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The difference in focus of a given Scripture reading is highlighted to me again today. While today’s devotion is pointing us to our call to witness the good news to unbelievers (a wonderful focus), my thoughts went toward more of what the passages were speaking to me about loving those who profess Christ and are our brothers and sisters. It’s likely, in part, to do with what’s on my mind from an event of yesterday. It boils down to learning to love fellow believers with whom I disagree with theologically on “secondary matters”. In my prayer time, I asked the Lord to help me to love well as indicated in 1 Corinthians 13 when having discussions with other believers when we disagree on what one of the “hard texts” say. I realize there is a need for discernment of what to say, when to say it, and how to present the reasons I might not agree with the other person’s interpretation of the text. And since how we understand the text affects how we practice it, I also see that we will not agree on the practice as well. Loving well in these cases will take a filling of the Holy Spirit that is well beyond our human limitations. I pray the Spirit of truth guides each of us to be able to discern the spirit of error in knowing the difference between essential and non-essential matters and then how to live in the discomfort of differences on the secondary issues. I cling to the Lord’s faithfulness with trust and hope!
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❤️ Diana thank you for your words. Very helpful to me today.
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I love this!! Reflecting on the ways God shows love to me daily, hourly, minute-by-minute, every second of the day.
God, you show me your love through the love of my parents, the love of my spouse, the love I have for my daughter. You show me love through the random kindness of strangers. I feel your love through this creation that screams of who You are. I feel your love through your gentle convictions and discipline that you give me. I can feel it in the numerous blessings that you lavish on me and my family daily. I can feel your love during my prayer time when your Holy Spirit intercedes and speaks the holy words that I’m trying to say. You show me your love as I worship and sing praises to you and you wrap your loving arms around me. I feel your love in the immense grace you show me when I mess up, time and time again, and fall short of the glory of God. But I feel your love MOST when I think about the cross…and the price you paid to restore our relationship with you by wiping away all of our sins.
I love you, Lord. I thank you for your love they transcends my understanding
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Good Morning Ladies,
Thank you for your words and contributions this morning; many of those ideas will simmer in my mind as I proceed through another busy day. This commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves is certainly challenging and thought-provoking as we consider various “types” of people we encounter throughout our day. I will keep the message of love close to my heart as a go about my day, seeking ways to show God in me.I wanted to share a verse that spoke to me this morning: 1JOHN 5:6 – “This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ: not by water only, but by water and blood…” I become a believer 3 years ago come May 9th. I have not yet been baptized, despite the examples we see in the bible and the encouragement of Christians around me. I love the illustration carried out through verse 12 of how we are to be a witness of God, in part through baptism. It is a way that we “believeth on the Son of God”. I have new understanding of why being baptized in a church on earth is an important step in my walk with God.
We are a military family and we have moved 3 times in these same 3 years, not ever staying at a church long enough for me to feel comfortable being baptized there. Our most recent move has left us still searching for a new home church, a process stunted obviously by the Coronavirus but I pray we can quickly find our church family and I can be baptized finally.
PS…. Does anyone else have a technical difficulty responding to specific posts? I cant seem to post directly beneath a given response. Figures Id try a new browser tomorrow and see if that helps.
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I have the problem of after I reply, everything goes white. I have to completely close out and reopen.
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Me too.
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“As God’s daughters, it is not just our testimony that matters. We are also bearing witness to God’s testimony—one that never fails.” When I read these words that Kaitie wrote I was oh wow. I wroter those words down so I could reflect back on them at a later time. Right now in my life I have been finding it hard to bear this witness at times. My mind has been so preoccupied with finding a new car because mine was totaled and finding a new place to stay because with my niece dying (she was also my roommate) I can no longer afford to live in this apartment nor do I want to with the memories. I need prayers because I also am not wanting to fully concentrate on my job. I have found a new car. Lord help me to concentrate on the task at hand where I am.
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I’ve been thinking so much lately about how I have not followed through with sharing the gospel with others, like we are called to do. I care more about my comfort than compassion. I had an internship last summer where I met a lot of non-Christians, and they specifically told me how I was so nice and everything. They could tell I acted differently. But I really wish I had shared the gospel with them or told them about how it wasn’t me but Jesus living in me. Definitely a regret I have. I had a dream the other week about an intern I worked with, that I shared the gospel with her, and she came to Christ. But I woke up and realized it was a dream, and I hurt for her. I wish I could go back and have done better with sharing. Praying that God lights a fire in my heart to not be afraid of sharing the amazing things he has done.
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Jennifer,
I am struggling with this very thing right now. I have a very close friend who has been struggling with alcholism for years. Her last visit to see me in September she was cruel and hateful to the point that I have “cut her out” of my life for now. I am really hurt by the way she acted in my home and the words she said to me. I am searching for forgiveness, the same Christ has shown me AGAIN and AGAIN, but I find myself hurt and scared to “let her in”. -
Churchmouse you are so right I have a brother, who has done some very hurtful things to my sister and I and one day God gave me the words to write and ask for forgiven for anything i may have unconsciously done to hurt him, reminding him of the love God has for him, and that I would always love him and be there, but I would walk away. It was very hard but God has given me the peace to leave it at Jesus feet.
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