“We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?” – 1 John 3:14-17
The name Arthur Conan Doyle might be familiar to you — he was the author who created the character Sherlock Holmes. In Conan Doyle’s stories, Mr. Holmes would use his skill of observation to detect evidence that would lead him and the reader, in the end, to the precious truth. Ever wonder why those stories have stood the test of time and remained so popular? Because something in us loves to link evidence to truth.
Though the evidence that Conan Doyle’s character sought to find was merely fictional, you and I live lives of evidence as well. Scripture says that there is very real evidence within us that Christ lives in us as Jesus followers. What is that evidence, you ask? It’s your love for other believers. People around us, as you already know, observe our lives. One way that they see the truth of Jesus in us is by the love we have for others in the body of Christ (John 13:35).
How can you express the love of Jesus to another brother or sister in Christ today?
