DEVOTION – DAY 383

Devotion, 28 Sept 2023

1 John 2:9-11 “Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them.

In 1 John, the apostle John introduces the fact that “God is light, in Him, there is no darkness.” (1 John 1:5b). Since darkness is the opposite of light, darkness will stand for what is evil and not from God. The apostle John reminds Christians that that if they “claim to be in the light: ie, if they claim to be followers of the Lord, they must love their fellow brothers and sisters. They must not hate them. This is because in the Bible, hatred and love are not seen as emotions. Instead, the Bible treats them as attitudes of our heart that is expressed in actions, in the way we treat our fellow brothers and sisters. That is why John reminds Christians that those who hate their fellow brothers and sisters are in “darkness”. That darkness or evil have motivated them to acts of hatred. That darkness has blinded them.

This is a warning for Christians. We sometimes come across cases where Christians cannot stand each other. Some choose to attend different services just to avoid meeting each other. Some refuse to acknowledge or talk to one another. Some complain about those they dislike or hate. Some openly talk bad about people they do not like behind their backs. These are acts that point to them walking in darkness just as 1 John 2:9-11 refers to.

We know someone who had a disagreement with another church member. As a result, this person held a grudge against the person he had the disagreement with. He eventually left the church. He would avoid meeting and talking with this person whenever their paths crossed. Others tried to mediate between these two men. One was willing to reconcile, but the other man who held the grudge, refused to reconcile thinking he was in the right. In doing so, without realizing it, he was “in darkness and the darkness had blinded him”.  Let us all remember that as children of God, we must walk in the light. That means we must forgive and reconcile with those we have disagreements with, and with those we dislike.

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, we worship you as our God, who is light. Help us to be gracious, forgiving, and conciliatory to others always. We humbly ask this in the great name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Questions

  1. How do you normally treat those who disagree or fight with you? Share.
  2. How does this devotion cause you to change your attitudes and behavior towards others who disagree and fight with you?
  3. Why is it important for you to reconcile with, and forgive those who fight and disagree with you?