1 John 2:10-11 ESV, “Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.”
Imagine that you knew the way to prevent yourself from stumbling as you walk with God. Nobody likes to get tripped up. In his first letter to the churches, the apostle John informs us that loving our brothers and sisters is how we abide in the light. In these two verses, John will make the connection between love and knowing where we are going. Is there a relationship issue that you are facing that has come to a halt? Are you at a standstill in a situation and not sure what your next move is? We often times refer to “walking in love” as an expression of our lives as they reflect Christ. I highly doubt any of us would voluntarily walk in darkness with our eyes blinded. When anyone chooses to hate their brothers or sisters, saying in their heart, “I am not going to love them,” that person is still “walking.” The eyes in 1 John 2:11 are not our physical eyes. You can still see with your eyes even when you decide not to love your brothers and sisters in Christ. Hatred skews our spiritual vision. Choosing love or hate determines where you are heading with God. Hate blinds us and causes us to trip up. Sometimes just telling someone “I love you” either to their face or calling them on the phone can make all the difference in the world.
Love is the greatest adventure because it is how we maintain a fresh vision and abide in the light. Love allows us to see clearly so we do not stumble, so we know what is ahead. We all know there are events that make love seem difficult. Love is patient (1 Corinthians 13:4). At times we feel an urge that a conflict must be resolved immediately when maybe we need to be patient. Love is kind (1 Corinthians 13:4). We may face situations where someone is unkind to us. People can say things about us that perhaps cast a shadow of doubt concerning our character or our intentions. This can be especially difficult when these words are spoken to those we care about most. We don’t need to operate outside of love because God reveals all things. We can live God’s way. We never have to feel pressured not to love so that we in turn “prove” something about ourselves or our intentions. We can abide in the light and love well even when relationship dynamics appear complex. Here are some additional Scriptures on allowing God to reveal the intentions of the heart:
1 Corinthians 4:5 ESV, “Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.”
1 Timothy 5:24 and 25 ESV, “The sins of some men are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later. So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden.”
Luke 12:1-4 ESV, “In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops.”
