Because He First Loved Us

We love because he first loved us. (I John 4:19)

          How arrogant to think that we are incapable of love until or unless God shows us how to do it! Love is a natural thing. Even Atheists do it. I can hear the arguments against this passage, and I recognize most of that argument to be faulty, but behind it, there’s a complaint that I have to acknowledge. It’s difficult to accept the notion that one is entirely depraved apart from God, completely worthless. I believe that our depravity – left to ourselves – is exactly that, but I want to put that argument aside for a moment. 
          This morning, as read this passage, I realized that we don’t have to be depraved and worthless in for this statement to be absolutely, completely, and literally true. It was a minor epiphany. He created us. That was an act of love on His part that took place before we could possibly have loved. We have to have a self before the self can do something. He created us in His image. He is love, so yes, it’s natural that we should at least have the capacity to love. But He didn’t have to create us in His image. There is no Scriptural indication that He created anything else in the same way. He chose to do so, because He loved us.
          Some may complain that animals are capable of love. That makes perfect sense as well. They were also created by a God who is love. They love because He first loved them, as well.