Knowing God

1 John 4:7-21

By loving our seemingly unlovable coworkers, bosses, and customers/clients, we show God's love to them. But more than that, showing such love is how we know God. Look at 1 John 4:8: "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." Later, John says that if anyone claims to know God but hates someone, he or she is a liar. Love is at the very core of who God is. It is as much of His essence as we can know. And that's not just love for those that love Him back. God loved us BEFORE we loved Him (verse 19). He loved us when we were unlovable (Romans 5:8). By loving those around us that seem unlovable, we experience, to a microscopic degree, what God experienced in sending His Son for us.

Remember--it's not about "killing them with kindness," loving so that maybe they'll be nicer to you, or loving to gain leverage in the future. It's not about showing that you're a team player or that you can get along with others. It's loving because God loved you. If your allegiance is to Him and if you want to know Him, then you need to show love to everyone around you, including those that seem unlovable.