He Is My Brother

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.
1 John 5:1 (ESV)

I cannot remember a time when I didn’t love my brothers. I wasn’t taught to love my brothers, and I wasn’t told to. I just love my brothers because they’re my family. Even now, when I see my brother, something in my heart always tells me he’s not just like anybody else. He is my brother.

Today’s verse says, “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.” Everyone in this world has been born once, but not everyone has been born twice.

God’s love is always two dimensional. When you have a vertical love for God the Father, you will have a horizontal love for God’s children. They’re not just friends. They are family. You can’t help but love them.

Henry Drummond likened this love to what is known as magnetic induction: If a piece of ordinary steel is attached to a magnet and left there, after a while the magnetism of the magnet passes into the steel so that it too becomes a magnet. The same thing happens when you stay close to the Father. His love passes into you, even for the people who are hard to love.

Every church has crazy uncles and people who get on your last nerve. Maybe it’s the church member who never returns your calls or the person who talks too long every time your small group meets. Think about the believer who gets under your skin the most, and thank God they’re in your family.

If you love the Father and you’ve been born of the Father, you’ll love His children. Think about that one person today and say, “He is my brother.” “She is my sister.” And thank God for them.

Prayer: Father, thank You for making me Your child and giving me a family I didn’t choose. You know the brother or sister in Christ who gets on my last nerve. Fill me with Your love for them until I can’t help but love them too. In Jesus’ name, Amen.