Read 1 John 4:7-12

Context: This book was written by the apostle John to all believers. He wanted to expose false teachers and to give believers the assurance of salvation. A major theme of the book is love -- the love of God and the love believers can have for God and each other.

Text:
7 Dear friends, we should love each other, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has become God's child and knows God.8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.9 This is how God showed his love to us: He sent his one and only Son into the world so that we could have life through him. 10 This is what real love is: It is not our love for God; it is God's love for us. He sent his Son to die in our place to take away our sins.
11 Dear friends, if God loved us that much we also should love each other.12 No one has ever seen God, but if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is made perfect in us. (NCV)

taken from www.biblegateway.com

Ever since I was little I've been taught that God wants us to love everyone. I frequently have trouble with that concept...how do you love people who do really mean things? Who are always negative and argumentative? Who go out of their way to mess up your day? Those who abuse, torture, and kill?

I always thought of love as an emotion -- a sense of joy, well-being, and positive feelings, as in: I love my family, I love chocolate, I love going to the beach. But as I've grown I've learned that 'love' is a verb, an action that you take. By doing nice things for other people you are showing love.

God is love. He has created this world for us to enjoy, and when his laws got too cumbersome he sent the most important person he had, his son, to show us a better way. God wants his love to be made perfect, and he relies on those who believe in him to be his hands and feet. To demonstrate his love in tangible ways.

So today when you see someone who is frustrated, angry, or who is just having a 'ho-hum' day, show God's love by doing something tangible and nice for them. You get extra points if this is one of those people who doesn't act very loving toward you!