Learning To Care About What God Cares About

In review of 1 John 2:6 I read  “Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did” (NIV).

To live as Jesus lived doesn't mean that I chose 12 disciples, perform miracles, or be crucified. I cannot merely copy Christ's life. To walk today as Christ did, I must obey his teachings and follow his example of complete obedience to God and loving service to people.

The starting point for developing the character of Jesus is to care about what God cares about.

For instance, God cares about the world, so I should care about the world. The Bible says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son” (John 3:16 KJV). The word “so” adds an extra dimension to the verse’s meaning. God doesn’t just love the world; he so loves the world!

And God didn’t just say he loves me. He acted upon his love. He said, in effect, “I’ll do anything I can to bring me home to heaven, even if it means my only Son dying on the cross.”

God also cares about the church, so I should care about the church. Why? The church is God’s family, and he loves his family. God created everything because he wanted a family. Without that desire, there would be no universe, solar system, earth, or human race.

One day everything else in the universe will be destroyed. There will be a new heaven and a new earth. But God’s family will last forever. It’s more important than anything else on the planet because it’s going to outlast everything else.

In summary, If I claim to live in him, I must live as Jesus did by obeying his teachings and following his example of complete obedience to God and loving service to people. The starting point is to care about what God cares about. God cares about the world. He doesn't just love it, he so loved it. God didn't just say he loves me, he acted upon it his love. Also God cares about the church. He wants a family, one that will outlast everything else. So likewise I need to care about people and his everlasting family. I need to not just love, but act upon it.

Today Father I pray that you help me become more like Jesus. Help me love the world and the people in it. Help me love God’s church. I also ask you today for wisdom and guidance for my day, my work tasks, my leadership and my interactions with others. These things I pray in your Son Jesus name, Amen.