We know we have passed from death to life because we love one another

1 JOHN 3:14 | We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death.

One of the best movies of all time is Interstellar – a masterfully made movie about space travel. Without giving away any spoilers, the movie centers around the premise that when earth becomes uninhabitable, a team is sent on a mission to find a new planet for humans. When things don’t go as planned, the main character, Joseph Cooper, finds out that there is something that transcends even the biggest obstacles and distances. What is that thing you may ask? Love. Love ends up being the thing that unites and connects the main character to everything he values. The movie explains that love is a unique quality that human beings have. We were innately created with the ability to love, and it is fully experienced even in the middle of space.

I believe the movie gets it right – amid the flashing lights and amazing sound effects, we see a biblical truth about how we were created by God. Out of an abundance of God’s love, we were created with the innate capability to love one another. This is not just a fun thing we can do, but it is a sign that we are children of God. We were created in His image with this gift of love.

In this holiday season, we are reminded that there is much to be grateful for, yet we are often reminded of the things that may not be the way we’d hope they’d be. We may be missing a loved one, or there may be discord or disagreements between you and someone you know. It may be difficult for you to show love to others in this season for several reasons, but even in the midst of that, God sees you. There is another bible passage in John 13:35 that says, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” What would it look like for God to show His love through you in such a way that it is undeniable that you are a disciple of Jesus? Living in love can be like a signpost that you have passed from death to life. From nothing to something. This is how we can continue to spread God’s love – by loving our neighbors and giving back to our communities, by going outside of ourselves and transcending the boundaries that we have previously set for ourselves. If we are truly alive, love is the natural response.

Maybe today you could text or call someone who God may be putting on your heart. Maybe it’s someone you’ve felt distant from. Maybe it’s someone who has hurt you in the past. Maybe it’s someone who may feel lonely in this season. Ask yourself, “How can I embody love to someone today?” This is an amazing way for people to know that you have been so transformed by God’s love that you now are able to show love to others. The Connections Team plans to spend some time writing down one way to show love to someone around us and then putting it into practice. Maybe you would like to join us! Write a name down on a note card or sticky note and put it somewhere you will see it – a fridge, computer, or the door before you leave the house. This will be a great reminder to pray for them and show love to them in a tangible way.