”If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?
1 John 3:17New International Version (NIV)
1 John 3:17 ~ Love of God
1 John 3:17 states that the existence of the love of God in a person is shown when they pity their brother or sister in need. That is, a person is able to suffer with his/her brother or sister.
Pitying your brother or sister cannot be faked because genuine love for God transforms you from the inside. Therefore, you are able to be compassionate or sympathetic without much fuss.
Pity is love put into action (Luke 10 and Ruth 1:16-17). Christ exhibited compassion (pity) in His earthly ministry (Matthew 1:40-42) as an example for us.
Therefore one of the most important things you need to focus on is love. You should love the Lord your God with all you have, and love your neighbour as yourself. And loving your neighbour as yourself is enabled by identifying their needs.
John, in 1 John 3:16, has already pointed out that love lays down its life. That is, love is sacrificial. It pours itself out, gives itself up, and dies for the good.
Consequently, this implies that you cannot allow yourself to be consumed by your problems. This is what will help you hear your neighbours needs. Thus, you will have opportunities to help them materially.
If you aren’t seeing or hearing the needs of your brother or sisters, then you won’t be loving them with Christ’s love. Because meeting their needs depends on identifying the same.
Also, Scripture reveals that our Lord’s compassions are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23) because we need to be compassionate every day.
Prayer/Blessing
Lord, I thank You for mercies that are new each morning. Help me be as compassionate as You are. I pray this in the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
May your love of God enable you to pity those who are in need around you.
