Day 233, Year 1

God’s Different Types of Love

“Surely He scorns the scornful, But gives grace to the humble.” (Proverbs 3:34 NKJV)

“The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” (1 John 4:8 NASB)

As mentioned in today’s first verse, the humble can receive God’s grace. This verse can be translated as “the poor can receive many gifts from God.” Furthermore, when we understand that God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble, we can then realize that He often has different attitudes and reactions toward different people. In other words, God treats each person according to the principles of His fairness.

In my opinion, God “scorns the scornful” (Proverbs 3:34a) echoes the previous devotional—with the perverse God will show Himself “perverse.” It is actually out of God’s love that He “scorns” the scornful ones. This echoes the truth mentioned earlier that people reap what they sow, so that God can call them unto repentance. Meanwhile, He gives grace to those who humbly know Him. That is to say, it is difficult for sinners to find God because they are naturally trapped in their own sins. But if they repent of their sins and believe in the Lord Jesus, then they will surely receive His salvation.

The second verse of today says: God is love, and whoever knows Him will become a loving person. His love is the reason why believers love each other (1 John 4:7, 19). Some people think that because God is love, He should treat all people, no matter what they do, with the same love. But if this claim is really a biblical truth, there is no need to discuss humility and pride. For God’s love should come to the proud and the humble without discrimination. But in fact, the truth of the Bible is clear: There is a big difference in how God treats the proud and the humble.

In my understanding, John’s assertion here is directed at this loveless world where people often hurt one another. Because the world lacks love, many people fail to experience God’s love. Hence, having experienced the love of the Lord Jesus, believers have the leverage to transform into loving people, to love one another, and even to enable unbelievers to feel His love. We need to humble ourselves so as to accurately know and experience God’s great love and share His love with different people as He leads. In this way, because of our love for Him, unbelievers may experience God’s love and subsequently believe in Him. Hence, many people who are suffering can also feel the work of God’s great love through believers.

Reflection questions:

1) How do you feel about God scorning the scornful ones?

2) How have you experienced God’s great love? As today’s verse suggests, do you have God’s love in you? What would you do if you lacked it?