Perfect Love // 1 John 4:18
1 John 4:18 (NIV) | There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
Today’s verse is so rich and there is quite a bit to unpack. What jumps out to you initially? For me it’s the idea of perfection. Many can be paralyzed by a perfectionist streak. I am numbered among them. As a result, we either work ourselves to the bone trying to achieve the unachievable or resolve ourselves to quit trying out of some sense of hopelessness. We must remember that we are able to know God because God first loved. We are called to love God and others with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. But we still fail at times, don’t we? This is why we see a promise to balance out the perfectionism, which is God’s love isn’t based in punishment anymore, even though we sin; no, we are seen through Christ’s perfection when we accept His forgiveness! Friends, I cannot emphasize that enough! The goal we are called to strive for isn’t based on our imperfections, but Jesus’ perfection. This is the perfect love that drives out a fear of failure and enables us to rest in the goodness of our great God.
