And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. (1 John 1:4 ESV)
Getting a hole-in-one is awesome. Getting a hole-in-one while playing with others is even more awesome! Inevitably, golfers alike will tell you that you need to finish the round and frame the scorecard. It serves as a nice memento to look back on and smile, and maybe even share the story with a few friends.
John was so moved by who Jesus was and what he did that he was compelled to share Jesus’ story with othersThere is something in us that is hardwired to share things with others. Some of us may be introverts and feel the need to share a lot less than extroverts, but we still desire intimacy and closeness with others. I believe this holds true for both men and women, but we tend to do so in differing ways. Men tend to be more prone to doing side-by-side activities with limited talking, while women tend to do more face-to-face activities that involve more conversation. Still, some men will be more conversational and some women more activity-minded. What does it matter? We all desire connectivity.
What is so fantastic to me about today’s verse is John’s desire for joy. This may be a funny verse to single out, but let’s look at what precedes it (1 John 1:1-3 ESV):
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us—that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.” (I highly encourage you to read the rest of 1 John!)
One of Jesus’ closest friends was the writer of this letter. It brought him joy to share the life, death and resurrection of Jesus with others. In sharing with others, John was making an effort to connect with them.
There is something special about the written word. For starters, Christ himself was called logos, meaning “word” in Greek. Writing helps us codify and legitimize the behavior we see. When we score a one on a par-3 and then write the number one on the scorecard, it legitimizes what we did. Similarly, John legitimized what he saw and heard when he shared this letter with other believers.
A pastor at the church I attended in college used to say “we’re all natural evangelists for the things we love most.” John clearly loved Jesus and loved sharing Jesus’ teachings and life with others. John was so moved by who Jesus was and what he did that he was compelled to share Jesus’ story with others, knowing that it is in Jesus we have fullness of joy.
Whether you know him today or not, I encourage you to surround yourself with men and women who can point you to Jesus. He is the reason for our faith. Having a personal relationship with Jesus is essential, and oh, what a blessing it is to have brothers and sisters and friends and family to share him with!
When you hit a great golf shot or reflect on what the Lord is teaching you, share it with a friend and perhaps even do so in writing. We can all use some encouragement, and nothing could be better than what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent or worthy of praise (see Philippians 4:8).
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Aimee Neff
February 16, 2017
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The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.