How Can You Tell If You Love Someone?

"Beloved", John writes in 1 John 4:7.

Beloved? What is that?

Well, it's God's view of you. You are one that is in a position of being loved by the Creator and Sustainer of all things. You are a Beloved one.

"But wait," you might say. Isn't that a term used for Jesus?

Sure! Perhaps you'll remember, at Jesus' baptism (Mt.3:17) and at the transfiguration (Mt.17:5, cf.,2 Peter 1:17) the Father spoke out of the heavens and said, "This is My beloved Son. I take delight in Him."

How specially loved must be Jesus to the Father! And how did the Father choose to express His love for Jesus? "Beloved"!

Do you hear it? The Father is calling you by the same thing He calls His Son: "Beloved"!

But the chain doesn't end there.

Because of your great privilege as a Beloved one...you are to consider other brothers and sisters in the Lord as Beloved ones. John writes, "Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another" (1 John 4:11).

So, what are some tell-tale signs that you're loving someone? Maybe the following items are indicators:

When pierced...your prayer to the Father is for the offender's blessing
When mocked...you ask the Father to forgive the offender
When wronged...you seek to do good to those who've despitefully used you
When maligned...you pray for those who've treated you unfairly

Maybe the question should be reversed. When can I tell that I don't love someone? Maybe the following are some tell-tale signs:

You delight in another's pain
You secretly wish for the embarrasment or hurt of another
You rejoice when another person is in trouble
You take pride in correction...correcting others, that is
You swish the tasty morsel of gossip around your mouth treasuring it's flavor
You seek to make someone else look less....
Less godly
Less wise
Less important
Less socially with it
Less understanding
Less...you get the picture...

The Father loves you.
Jesus loves you.
The fruit of the Spirit is...love....

Do you love?