1 John 4:12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
Reflecting at his father's memorial service, the son said, "He was God before I knew God."
It was a poignant thought. I took it to mean that the son could see who God is by experiencing his dad. After a time, he could understand the source of his father's qualities.
Later in the service, the pastor referred to the son's comment and said that the father showed God-like qualities "because he absorbed God."
When the Apostle John authored his famous letter, he was referring to the same process of absorption. When we absorb God's love, we can reflect that love by loving one another. Then God's love becomes complete and God lives within us.
Sometimes we wish that others knew God, that they had faith, that they would understand who Jesus is and follow him. John has the formula, as did this deceased father: people can know God through our love for them.
The formula is both mystical and simple. It doesn't require the passion of an evangelist nor the eloquence of an apologetic seeking to convince people of God's existence intellectually; anyone can do it. The formula is to stand in God's presence to absorb love, then to be so full of love that we can touch others' hearts by pouring out love on them. We represent God until they come to know God themselves.
We need to clearly tell and show our kids that we love them. That's one of the many parenting messages in my new book, "Unison Parenting: The Comprehensive Guide to Navigating Christian Parenthood with One Voice." One Amazon reviewer called it "a handbook to keep by your side on your parenting journey". Learn more at CecilTaylorMinistries.com/unison-parenting.
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