We Know That We Know Him

A week or so ago, I saw a noticeable difference in the way I viewed two people I know. I wanted to be with the one, and couldn’t get away from the other quickly enough. It seemed backward from what it should have been, so I asked the Lord why this was.

And He told me.

Person A isn’t forgiving. Or maybe the forgiveness is just too well disguised beneath the sermon on how necessary it was that I repent, and the expectation that I will offer repayment for my infraction. Person B accepts my apology with little or no comment, and continues to treat me like a beloved friend.

Which one do you suppose I want to be with? It’s a simple fact that each of us will make mistakes in relationships. We just do. And we know that we do, and we know that we will. We want to be able to repent, because we don’t like carrying that junk around inside of us, so of course we want to be with people who are going to make our repentance easy!

But is that actually Biblical? I didn’t know for certain until I happened to read the second chapter of Romans. In the fourth verse, Paul is in the middle of a discussion about sinful behavior, and, particularly, about those who judge others for their sinful behavior. There he makes an astounding statement: the kindness and goodness and mercy of God bring us to repent. It is not harsh condemnation and fear that bring us to repentance, but the certainty that God will forgive us, and not hold us at arm’s length.

That is not all he says. He says that people who judge others don’t know that it is the kindness of God that brings us to repent. Isn’t that interesting?

In other words, when we see Him as He really is, we become like Him. If we see Him as He really is (kind, and full of mercy) we do not have to try to be merciful. We will become merciful. We do not have to curb judgmental words, because we will not have a judgmental attitude. We won’t have a judgmental attitude because we truly understand that it is mercy that causes change!

John tells us that we know that we love God when we obey His commands. (Which, incidentally, are all for our own benefit. Remember, we love God because He first loved us, so true love on our part accepts the truth of His love for, and kind intentions toward, us.)

But we know that we know Him when we love each other.

Love? Do you suppose that love is related to mercy? Do you suppose that we can love each other simply because we see God as He really is? (God is love.)

The law can’t change us. God can. He will, all the more, as we stay close to Him.

We can’t get close enough, because we know He loves us.

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