This is love; not that we loved God, but that God loved us and sent Jesus Christ as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. (1 John 4:10)

“For God so loved the world…” What is the world?

“World,” in the vernacular of the scriptures, indicates the cosmos of the unrighteous, the unsaved, or those who have not yet heard the good news. It includes the entire range of professional people, those skilled and unskilled in trades, and those who work at menial tasks. Also included are those with varying degrees of educational attainment and every level of financial standing. “World” includes the morally approved and the socially rejected. “…God so loved the world…” and we are expected to love this very same world.

It’s difficult at times to love those who have gossiped about us or spoken negatively behind our back. It’s difficult to love those who have used us for their personal gain and left us angry or resentful. It’s difficult to love those who have betrayed us some way or another. But those are exactly the people whom Jesus loved.

Jesus set an example in place. He came not to judge or condemn the world, but rather to save it. While our place is not to save something that has already been saved, we need to take this example and internalize it as a part of our spiritual being. Holding onto anger and resentments or attempting to get even does not exemplify God or Jesus Christ, but the “world.”

As God’s messengers of love, let us be understanding, compassionate, non-judgmental and non-condemnatory. Let us instead love the world along with God.

Creator of all that is, when I condemn another, I condemn Your work! Help me to love all of Your creation in the same way You love it!