For those who want to change the world...

*This is a sermon I heard at BCM the other night – I’m paraphrasing it because it was too good not to share.

We have these things in our brains that are called mirror neurons. Mirror neurons enable us to understand and imitate the actions and behaviors of people around us – basically, we mirror what we see.

AJ Brown is a wide receiver for the Eagles in the NFL. A couple of weeks ago, Brown was on the sidelines during a game, and he randomly pulled out a book. When you look closely at the book, its title is “Inner Excellence.” Millions of people were watching the TV screen when this happened, and for the next two weeks, this very book was the #1 best seller on Amazon.

I’m not recommending this book to anyone because I honestly don’t really know what it’s about.

But the point of the story is that we mirror what we see.

1 John 4: 4-21 says,

7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

13 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 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.

19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

Imagine if we could change the world by loving others. Actually, I know we could change the world by loving others.

As the verses say, no one has seen God… but people can see God in you based on the way you love people.

Psalm 25:10 says, “All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.”

Love God, love people. Change the world!