Loving Others Shows We Love God

1 John 4:20 says, If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar…”

It had been one of those days of chaos; however, as we were driving home in the mini van, the kids and I began an honest conversation. One of them said to me very respectfully, but hesitantly; “Mom, sometimes I feel like I hate you.” Then, immediately, another one spoke up and said, “Sometimes I feel like I hate you too Mom.”

Trust me, the Holy Spirit took over in that moment because I chose to hear them and use this as a teachable moment. Though their words hurt me deeply, I did not take it personally. I told them that we all feel hate at someone at times, but we (first of all) would not use the words “I hate you” in our house, and secondly, if they felt hate in their heart, they needed to take it up with God privately in prayer because it is a sin to hate.

1 John 4:20 tells us that “if anyone says, ‘I love God’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.”

The words of this verse are piercing to me. What about you? Some people are hard to love, and to my children I was that person for a time. When hate rears its head, which can happen to us at any time, remember with me that loving God means loving others.  

And there you go…