Do you know what is something in common with John 3:16 and 1 John 3:16 aside from what is obvious? Yes! Both are Love Stories.

John 3:16 is God’s love story. In The Message translation it says: “This is how much God loved the world:  He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.”

God’s love is life-giving, a long and lasting love. 1 John 3:16 is Our love story. The Good News Translation says it straight forward: “This is how we know what love is: Christ gave his life for us. We too, then, ought to give our lives for others!”  It seems like a sequel to God’s love story. Now that we know God’s love, we are called to  put  that love into action. As recipient of God’s love through Jesus Christ, we are to share that kind of love to one another. Our love is God’s love rolling. It must be the same life-giving love.

However, what is today’s story? Apparently, the world, our world whom God loves so much needed more love than ever. Hate stories proliferate all over the world.  Where are we in today’s story? We, who are recipients of God’s life-giving love, what are we doing?  Or not doing?  1 John 3:17 is a call out for us: “If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God’s love? It disappears. And you made it disappear.”  (The Message. )  Whoa! We make God’s love disappear! Should our love story be about the disappearance of God’s love? Of course not!

Even when hate stories are in today’s news, we can still do what we can and ought to do. Let us create and be in God’s love stories.

August of last year, our conference, Illinois Great Rivers Conference, put up a positive response to a hate group. We adapted Missouri Conference campaign: Hate Divides. Love Unites. Bishop David Bard said:

“In our new vision statement, we say that The United Methodist Church forms disciples of Jesus Christ who, empowered by the Holy Spirit, love boldly, serve joyfully and lead courageously ...  We serve our communities, in part, by standing up against hatred and division. We lead with courage as we seek to fulfill our baptismal vow to resist evil, injustice and oppression, and as we invite people into a vision of human life and community rooted in love and compassion...We love boldly by sharing the love of God for all persons with our words and actions.”

What is your Love Story now? I like to believe it’s about Love boldly, Love unites, Love heals... God’s love appearing everywhere!