Daily Devotional – Monday, April 14, 2025
If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?
1 John 4:20 (NKJV)
It is easy to proclaim you love God, especially in worship settings, during prayer, or when speaking with other believers. However, the real test of that love is not in what we say—it is in how we love others, in particular, those we live and interact with.
Loving Your Brother
According to the Apostle John, we cannot purport to love God while simultaneously hating those around us. Granted, loving an unseen, flawless, all-loving God is relatively easy, but loving the flawed, occasionally annoying humans He puts in our life is far more difficult.
God is not requesting that we disregard sin or have a soft spot for everyone. However, He is urging us to consciously choose love—by way of humility, kindness, forgiveness, and patience. How we treat other people shows how we truly grasp God’s love and how our hearts are feeling.
How to Prove You Love God
Our devotional practices and worship songs are not the best indicators of how deeply we truly adore God. We should examine how we react when we are harmed, how we discuss people when they are absent, how we treat those with whom we disagree, and how eager we are to help without asking anything in return. Prove you love God by loving your brother.
Prayer
Almighty God, please teach me to love others that I may prove I love You. Bring healing where resentment exists. Bring humility where pride is present. Let my treatment of those around me reflect my love for You.
