Like we might search a child’s face to figure out who she looks like, John bids us to search our hearts to see if the truth of God is in us. If it is, we will discern a love for the law of God and a delight in doing what He commands. If not, we are liar, deceiving others and self-deceived. 

But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. (1 John 2:5, NKJV)

My son and daughter-in-law had their firstborn baby, a girl. She is gorgeous in every way. A work of art formed by God in her mother’s womb. With apps that tracked the baby’s development in the womb and ultrasound pictures that showed her appearance, they were able to track her in that formation until the day she was born and they saw her face to face.

If love were a baby in the womb what would it look like at maturity? Ultimately, that baby would look like God incarnate, born into this world thoroughly other-oriented. Jesus was born not to be served but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many. The Kingdom He would bring would not be about Himself but about others, those He came to save, those for whom He gave Himself.

We tend to think of love as some sort of warm fuzzy, squishy with sentiment, not needing any backbone.

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