Let’s face it. We live for ourselves. Our affections may extend to our families and close friends. However, if someone looks different, smells different, or talks different, it stretches us. We would never lay down our life for them. This kind of love, however, the love that John writes of is beyond our comprehension. This love the Father has bestowed on us makes us not only His creation but His children. It changes who we are in the world, what our future looks like and how we live today.
In this World
The love that makes us children of God, makes us unrecognizable to the world. It should not surprise us. The world did not recognize Jesus either. He differed from previous prophets, He even considered Himself higher than Moses. How could a mere man make the claims this man made? He claimed to be God’s Son, and we claim to be His children, not merely considered as part of His creation, but His children bought by the sacrifice of Jesus the Christ and soon to be heirs. It’s all a bit weird to the world.
Our Future
We not only differ in this world as being unrecognizable but our future reaches beyond revelation. What we will be remains clouded within our finite minds. When Jesus returns, John writes that we will be like Him! We will see Him as He is in all of His glory and it will transform us into His likeness.
How We Live Today
The love of God reaches across all barriers, makes us unknown to the world and changes our future. It also affects how we live today. Our barren hopes are replaced with a living hope found in He who is pure. The focus of our lives changes. Eternity stretches out before us and we work to become pure as He is. His love changes how we live today.
This love the Father bestowed on us makes us His children, changes who we are in the world, what our future looks like, and how we live today.