“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
-1 John 4:11
Do you know that you are beloved? Do you really know it, deep in your bones? For me, I forget. This is actually the truth that I seem to forget most often! Lots of days I’m really busy, so I just don’t take the time to remember. Other days I make LOADS of mistakes, and I get down on myself… I mean, down right MEAN. “You idiot. You should know better/do better/be better.” On the days I end up scrolling too much through Instagram, I end up comparing myself to everyone in the world, and I never really measure up. I end up being “too much” or “not enough” or “not as thoughtful/intentional/talented/patient/service-oriented/brave/productive/creative/politically correct” as I feel like I should be.
Then, this verse crashes into all of that, calling me “Beloved”, reminding me that no matter how many times I make mistakes during the day, no matter how little I get done on my to do list, or how many times I lose my patience with my kids or myself, I AM beloved. There is a beauty, a safety, and a knowing-that-you-belong-no-matter-what-happens security in this one word. THIS word changes so much, and not only does it remind me of my truest identity, it also sends me out into my busy days with a sense of purpose and direction. When I’m grounded and defined by love, it becomes the rudder steering my ship, shifting my perspective and my tone of voice and my words and my actions to be all about the work of treating others as they are dearly loved. Lord, help me remember that I am beloved, and then live in a way that helps others around me know that they are beloved as well.
