"Walking in the Light"

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies from all sin. 1 John 1:7

Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining. Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them. 1 John 2:7-11

Dear Friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who love has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because GOD IS LOVE. 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. This is love; not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. This is how we know that we live in him and he in us; he has given us of his Spirit.

1 John 4:7-13

Meditation:

The book of 1 John is one of the most beautiful and challenging invitations in the New Testament. It calls us not just to believe in God but to walk in a way that reflects His character. Three passages—1 John 1:7, 2:7–11, and 4:7–13—form a powerful trilogy about what it means to live as people of the light, people of love, and people who reveal God through the way we treat one another.

Let’s explore these themes one at a time and then look at practical ways to live them out.

1. Walking in the Light

John teaches that when we “walk in the light,” we live in alignment with God’s truth, transparency, and purity. Walking in the light isn’t about perfection—it’s about direction. It’s choosing honesty over hiding, confession over pretending, and fellowship over isolation.

Walking in the light creates unity. It allows us to have genuine relationships because we’re not wearing masks. It also opens the door for God’s cleansing work in our lives.

2. The Old Commandment That’s Always New.

John reminds believers of a command they’ve known from the beginning: love one another. Yet he calls it a “new” command because Jesus embodied it in a radical, self-giving way.

John draws a sharp contrast:

• Love = walking in the light

• Hatred or bitterness = walking in darkness

Darkness blinds us. It distorts our perception of others and ourselves. But love illuminates. It helps us see people as God sees them.

3. Love as the Evidence of God.

John goes deeper: love isn’t just a command—it’s the very nature of God. When we love, we are participating in God’s life. We are showing the world what God is like.

He makes a bold statement: Even though no one has ever seen God, His love becomes visible through us when we love one another.

This means love is not optional for believers. It is the clearest evidence of God’s presence in us.

Putting It All Together: What Does This Look Like in Real Life?

Here are practical, grounded ways to apply these principles every day.

1. Practice Transparency and Honesty

Walking in the light means refusing to hide.

Try this:

• Be honest about your struggles with a trusted friend or mentor.

• Admit mistakes quickly instead of defending them.

• Let people see the real you—not the curated version.

These builds trust and deepen relationships.

2. Repair Broken Relationships

If love is the mark of walking in the light, then unresolved bitterness keeps us in the shadows.

Try this:

• Reach out to someone you’ve been avoiding.

• Offer forgiveness even if the other person doesn’t apologize.

• Ask God to soften your heart toward someone who frustrates you.

Love doesn’t always mean agreement, but it always means goodwill.

3. Speak Words That Build, Not Break

Love is expressed through language.

Try this:

• Replace sarcasm with sincerity.

• Compliment someone daily.

• Pause before responding when you’re irritated.

Words can either illuminate or darken a room.

4. Serve Someone Unexpected

Love becomes visible through action.

Try this:

• Do something kind for someone who can’t repay you.

• Volunteer your time.

• Help a neighbor or coworker without being asked.

Small acts of love reveal a big God.

5. Spend Time with God to Reflect His Love

We can’t give what we don’t have. The more we experience God’s love, the more naturally we share it.

Try this:

• Start your day with a simple prayer: “Lord, help me walk in Your light today.”

• Read Scripture slowly, letting it shape your heart.

• Sit in silence and let God’s presence settle your spirit.

Love flows from connection with God.

6. Choose Light in Everyday Decisions

Walking in the light is a lifestyle, not a moment.

Try this:

• Choose integrity when no one is watching.

• Make decisions that align with your values, not your impulses.

• Let your social media presence reflect grace, not division.

Light is powerful—it pushes back darkness wherever it goes.

Final Thoughts

John’s message is simple but revolutionary: To know God is to walk in the light. To walk in the light is to love. And to love is to make God visible in the world.

This is not a one-time achievement but a daily journey. Every conversation, every choice, every relationship becomes an opportunity to reflect the God who is love.

If we live this way—even imperfectly—we become living testimonies of God’s presence. And the world desperately needs that kind of light.

Prayer:

Gracious God, thank you for loving us and sending Jesus Christ, who paid in full for the sins of all mankind. Lead us every day and empower us to walk in the light of your Holy Spirit, reflecting your love in all our relationships, spreading the "Good News of Salvation" to everyone, with words and actions! in Jesus' name we pray, Amen!

Jose Reyes