Perfect Love Casts Out Fear

One of the most powerful scriptures concerning love is this one: "Perfect love casts out fear." (1 John 4.18)

Why is this particular verse so power-packed?

John is making the point that "there is no fear in love." (1 John 4.18). 

Fear can't exist in the same soul that love inhabits.

It's as simple as that. When you think of love, images of sacrificing for the other come to mind. Giving out of a sense of joy for the other person. Putting the other person's need ahead of our own.

While this is all good, we need to remember:

For the most part, we don't live in a loving society (at least not in the United States). 

While this is no secret, it's interesting to note that as our society turns increasingly secular, it's gotten harder to find evidence of perfect love. Love itself isn't highly valued. Is it any wonder that there are many people we know, from workmates to acquaintances who are actually love starved?

If we choose to, we could become sidetracked bemoaning the loss of true love. But that isn't going to bring it back.

Anyone who keeps an interest in current events knows the world can be a fear-filled place. There's plenty to be afraid about. I came across an article in the The New York Times  today that mentioned there are about 60 million refugees worldwide, and half of them are children. One Syrian living in a refugee camp in Lebanon said, "We've lost an entire generation."

That's truly frightening.

A logical mind would be boggled as to the solution. 

But Love Wins.

You've seen the bumper sticker, and it sounds comforting and also a bit simplistic. 

After all, how can love possibly win? 

Looking at from a world-perspective, it's easy to give up hope.

But God doesn't call us to limit our perspective.

Whenever we grab hold of the truth of perfect love, miracles happen. 

Perfect love comes from God

That's the bottom line of it.

And if perfect love comes from God. If God is the source of it, then we are considering an unlimited supply. Without limits. Because it isn't something that we manufacture on our own. It's totally Spirit driven.

Jeremy Courtney and his wife run an organization called Preemptive Love, which encourages us to "love first and ask questions later."  

Bob Goff's humanitarian efforts in Uganda are centered around his mantra Love Does.

Ann Voskamp is continually challenging her readers to look for the good and to live a lifestyle of thanks.

None of these folks are starry-eyed dreamers. Each of them is very much aware of the state of the world. But they have refused to give up. They have caught a vision of God's perfect love and they are eager to share it.

I wonder what our neighborhood, our church, our city, our nation would look like, if we caught the same vision? 

Photo Credit: www.rickwarren.org