Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
—1 John 4:8
“God is love” is a familiar axiom among Christians. It’s one of the first lessons we learn in Sunday school classes meant for the smallest children. But what does this mean, and how can we imitate God’s love? Today’s verse tells us that if you don’t love, you don’t truly know God. Does this mean if you don’t feel loving toward everyone all the time, you aren’t really a Christian?
Actually, this verse means something much different. It reminds us that God is love. We usually talk about love as something we have or feel toward a person, place or thing. Yet God in His perfection takes love to a whole new level. He embodies love in the deepest way possible, toward everyone at all times. He can love a devout nun or missionary with great passion, but He extends that same depth and passion to the mass murderer who doesn’t know Him or care who He is.
How can this be? Our finite minds will probably never comprehend this. However, that’s why John encourages us to love and tells us that those who don’t love don’t know God. He isn’t saying you have to feel warm and fuzzy toward everyone all the time or love with deep passion you can’t always feel. If you could do that, you would be God.
This verse simply tells us to imitate the love God has for us—to love as unconditionally as possible and show love in as many ways as we can. That looks different for every person and situation, but if you reach out to God and ask to be filled with His love, He will teach you how.
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