1 John 3:1: How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
Ever feel misunderstood? Have your motives ever been questioned? Your sincerity doubted? Your words misconstrued?
Of course. We have all experienced that at times. Perhaps no more so than when we acknowledge our belief in Christ Jesus as Lord, Savior, King. It is one thing to tell people that God loves them; quite another to declare that every knee will one day bow to His Lordship.
John begins this passage in his first letter with the wonderful exclamation: “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us.”
Then John immediately warns us that the world will not understand us. Why? Because the world does not understand God. The world’s view of God has been warped by lies and perverted by sin. The world has a made-up view of God that they use, thinking it releases them from acknowledging Him as Lord. He’s that man upstairs, the big guy, a nice teacher, a doddering old stick-in-the-mud trying to ruin fun.
And if the world does not understand Christ Jesus our Lord, it will certainly not understand those who have placed their trust in His Lordship and are daily seeking to be conformed to His image.
Misunderstood? You bet! Still, we must remember, Christ died for those who were His enemies, for those who misunderstood and did not yet know Him. And such were we once.
Father, give us the courage to show the world Who you are in truth …. To reflect the love of Christ to all those who do not understand Your love for them. Amen.
