1 John 2:1-6; 4:9-17
Everybody needs somebody who is going to speak well of them when they are not around. It is such a good feeling when someone tells you, “Your ears must have been burning yesterday because I was singing your praises.” Not only is it flattering, but it inspires so much gratitude when you realize that they did not have to speak about you in such an affirming manner. They could have taken the opportunity to push you down, get something off of their chest, or simply not mention you at all. Instead, they saw an opportunity to uphold your reputation and potentially provide you access to further opportunities.
It is particularly wonderful to me when people extend this level of kindness to young people. Affirming the talents and potential of the young is a vital practice for healthy societies. I am especially grateful for when elders in the community remind young people of their potential and participate in the protection of young people from activities and paths that could lead to their destruction. Sometimes, this protection comes from the oddest sources. I had a lot of fun as a teenager but there were certain activities that even my friends would not let me in on. I would run into them while they were discussing the details for what was going to happen later, and when I tried to get in on the plans, they would say, “Nah, not you, pastor!” I would get so annoyed by this and in the parlance of the times, I felt like they were “sonning” me. I can see now that they were not trying to disrespect me. I have come to believe that God was using my friends to protect me from something that might have thrown me off my path or even destroyed me.
1 John 2 demonstrates a similar type of tenderness. It is a tenderness that a veteran of the faith has toward their neophytes. The author shares that their intention of writing is so that the reader may not sin (v.1). The author calls the reader, “my little children.” This is not about establishing a hierarchy where the audience is in a permanent sub-class and the writer is permanently of greater stature. Rather, it is written to demonstrate intimacy and invitation.
There are a lot of parental dynamics that squeeze the child under the unreasonable pressure of perfection. I have been to too many sporting events where a parent was demonstrably frustrated with their child because they were not playing the sport well. They had yet to master the play, make the right decision, or demonstrate a level of skill that was expected from the parent. The parent’s frustration begets frustration from their child, and I often wonder how many of those kids ended up falling out of love with the sport. It makes me think of Paul’s admonition in Ephesians 6, “fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (v.4).
Too many parents equate obstinacy with godliness. They assume their harsh treatment will bring the best out of their child. Yet the author of 1 John does not share that sentiment. While they write so that the reader does not sin, they also write with the knowledge that sin will occur. They do not desire the implosion of these neophytes. The author has an empathy for the pressure that can be self-imposed with pursuing perfection. That pressure can be relieved when we remember the grace that we have received. There is no doubt that God the Father demands perfection and sinlessness, but it is good news to know that “we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (v.1). Jesus is both the advocate and the sacrifice (v.2). Jesus is not only speaking well about you, but Jesus has removed whatever impedes you from full relationship with God.
I will always remember growing up in church and seeing people get in line for altar call after a sermon. Over months, you would see the same person getting in the line again and again, trying to give their lives to Jesus. Perhaps they never felt good enough for God and never thought they could belong. It is a comfort to know that it is not about what we deserve but that we are recipients of a gift that we could never repay. All that is asked of us is to “obey his commandments” (v.3). The world needs us, as followers of Christ, to live what we rap about. To truly “abide in him” means that we live our lives tracing Jesus’s steps with footprints of love.
Questions for reflection on 1 John 2:
- How do you deal with people looking out for you?
- What does a love-led life look like to you?
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