The profile page of God
A profile, a personal resume. Facebook calls it an About Intro…
With icons, short narratives and a few locations.
Me: Dan Wolgemuth.
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65 years distilled.
So, the question surfaces. If God had to fill out a profile, something He would put on LinkedIn, Instagram or Facebook, what would it be?
Actually, He did.
(God is love, and anyone who doesn't love others has never known him. 1 John 4:8, CEV)
God is love.
Just like, “Dan Wolgemuth lives in Aurora, CO.” Just like, “Dan Wolgemuth graduated from Taylor University.” Just like, “Dan Wolgemuth is President of YFC USA.”
God is love.
This is his profile, his “About Intro”.
Full stop. Enough said. This is who He is.
But what about other elements of His character? Like truth?
The fact is that love without truth is not really love.
And truth draws His followers to righteousness, justice, purity and hope.
God sweeps the essence of who He is into this word, into “agape,” the richest, rarest, and purest form of love.
And His love is boundary-less, personal, humble, expensive.
It was love that compelled Him to send His son, His one and only, His beloved, His precious, His perfect son. Agape. Love was, and is the essence, the motivation, the inspiration and the strategy of God.
Jesus was deputized and weaponized with love. With agape.
Earth shattering, enemy embracing, hate enduring, retaliation resisting, life protecting, justice defending, truth amplifying… love.
For the sinner. For me. For you. For us.
His love should be my profile — nothing less.
It is His love that moves me out of the place of personal sovereignty. (For the love of Christ controls us… 2 Corinthians 5:14)
Am I controlled by love?
A love for more than just my tribe?
A love for more than just my people?
A transcending, condescending, self-sacrificing, truth anchored love?
The seed of this love originated in the garden of God, and the evidence of this love as a living proof of my redemption (…whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 1 John 4:7)
Jesus distilled His message to this: Love God — love others.
He left no room for: Love God and hate those who disagree with you.
He slammed the fingers of our soul on the self-focused grip we have on: Love God and live for myself, for my family, for my friends, for my kind… when He told us to love the least of these. Love even our enemies and our critics. Yes, love — not ignore or tolerate or gossip about, but a prayer-offering demonstration of love for those who roll curses my way. (…bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. Luke 6:28)
He stepped all over my toes during the dance to condemn others and elevate myself or villainize some and venerate others.
God is love.
Period.
Those who love God, will love others.
Period.
No other profile befits a follower of Jesus. None.
Dan Wolgemuth is President/CEO of Youth For Christ. Youth For Christ has been a pillar of missional ministry since 1944, when the Rev. Billy Graham served as YFC’s first full-time staff member. Since then, Youth For Christ has continued to be both a rural and urban ministry on mission, and always about the message of Jesus.
