Do we dare to expose ourselves?

In preaching through 1 John there are a number of themes which keep on coming up again and again and again. One of them is the truth that those who have been loved by God in Christ and who know the God who is love as their Father will love others.  It is just natural - you've been loved, you are an adopted son because of the love of the one who is love therefore the family DNA will flow through you.  You will love the brothers and sisters just as your Father who is love loves them and loved you.

But John also brilliantly points us to some things which might stop or limit our love for others.  One of those things is seeing need.  Do we look at our brothers and sisters and look for needs which we can meet as we look for concrete ways in which we can love them?  But the flip side of that is do we allow others to see the needs there are in our lives?  Are we honest about our physical struggles, our spiritual struggles, our emotional struggles?  Do we dare expose ourselves and our hearts to our brothers and sisters?

We will dare to expose our hearts if we are convinced that they love us as God's children love one another.  Loving one another makes it safe to reveal our needs knowing that they will be met with loving acceptance and a compassion that will do what it can to meet them.

The real joy in preaching this theme in 1 John has been to see how that love has been taking shape in the church.  With Lucy being out of action for weeks we've experienced that love in real tangible ways - loads of meals prepared for us, flowers dropped off, cakes baked.  The house cleaned (more thoroughly than I think it has ever been done before!!!) for us.  It has been both humbling and thrilling to have had a need met with such love.  It is a joy to see the gospel at work and the church displaying it's DNA as it loves.