1 John 3:16 – Verse of the Day 1/12/14

In 1 John 3:11-24 the emphasis falls on love for one another. This verse makes it clear that Jesus’ own self-sacrificial love ought to serve as our own template for understanding how to love one another. We love him because he first loved us (4:19), and we love others because he first loved us as well. While our love for others may not necessarily demand that we literally die for one another, our willingness to do so should lead us to offer our lives as living sacrifices for the good of God’s people (Romans 12:1).

So much of our contemporary world is built upon the desire to serve oneself. The Bible paints a radically contrary picture of the ideal life. We are called not to serve ourselves, but to serve others. Pray that the Lord would make you so grateful for what He has done for you that you would long to offer your life as a sacrifice for the good of others. Ask the Lord to help you to see practical ways to do this according to the particular gifts He has given you.