OMTL Day 6 - Monkey Bars

Quick game.  What's the opposite of white?  Of course the anwer is black.  What's the opposite of day?  Of course the answer is night? So what's the opposite of love?  For many people the obvious answer is hate.  But is it really?  I used to think so.  But then I came accoss the passage in 1 John 4:18 which says that perfect love drives out fear.  

Now you would think that perfect love would drive out hate since hate seems to be the opposite.  So why does John say "fear"?  After doing some thinking about it, I asked myself what is it that really prevents us from loving?  Is it always hate?  Not always.  

Think about it.  Generosity is an expression of love, but often it is fear of not having enough that prevents us from giving.  Humility is an expression of love, but often it is our fear of not being recognized that prevents us from loving from the shadows.  Let's try another one.  Forgiveness.  This is an obvious expression of love.  Yet many of us have a difficult time doing this because often we're afraid that the person who hurt us will get off without being punished.

So fear prevents us from loving, and so it prevents us from living.  So if we had one month to live, wouldn't it be wise to take the risk and follow Jesus in the way of love so that even though we may be dying on the outside, on the inside we're becoming more alive?