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Author: Ted Kennedy, a member of the Servants of the Word, an international, ecumenical brotherhood of men living single for the Lord.

In the first Epistle of John, he writes, “But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?” (1 John 3:17)

Imagine that you are quite wealthy, and you hear that your brother has experienced a series of misfortunes, and through no fault of his own, is in serious need. If you have experienced God's love for you, your first instinct is to extend that same love to your brother. In fact, it is a joy to do so.

If you don't do this, you fail in two ways to have God's love abide in you. First, you fail to exhibit the love that God would have you show your brother; but you also fail to realize the true depth of God's love for you. Because if you did, you would help your brother. Once I forgot to bring my lunch to work. A close friend of mine said something that has since stuck with me. He said: "As long as I've got a sandwich, you've got half."

Is that your attitude toward what you have? It was God's attitude toward you.

Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.