loving my brother

Have you read 1 John lately? Because, wow! If you haven't, please do, and let me know what you think of these verses (I just cited a few of the many).

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"We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." 1 John 3:16

"If anyone says, 'I love God,' yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And He has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother." 1 John 4:20-21

"We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death." 1 John 3:14

We hear a lot about how we should love God, and this is exactly as it should be. Our first love must always be for our precious Lord. But, how often do I forget that the evidence of how I love our Lord is in how I love the brethren (this means other christians)? In fact, John says that if I don't love my brothers and sisters I abide in death. In other words, if I do not love the brethren I do not know God and His love.

This is so convicting to me, because John does not say that I am to love my brothers and sisters when they agree with me, or when they have the same theology as me, or when we have similar personalities. He just says that if I've passed out of death into life, I will love the brethren. And I don't think that he's talking about the idea of love. He's talking real love, the kind of love that causes me inconvenience and even pain.

I've spent a lot of my life wanting to be right, and wanting others to know that I am right, and wanting others to agree with me...God forgive me! May I learn to love as He loves--despite my own petty irritations, despite my own feelings of being right, despite my own lack of love. Truly, may His love reign in me! May His love conquer all!