What should you do once you have come to know God?
Once you have come to know God, you must put him in the first place in your life. And with that a new life begins. You should be able to recognize Christians by the fact that they love even their enemies.
After all, to know God means to know that he who created and willed me, who looks at me every moment with love, who blesses and upholds my life, who has the world and the people I love in his hand, who waits longingly for me, who wishes to fulfill and perfect me and to make me dwell forever with him, is there. To nod with your head at this is not enough. Christians must adopt Jesus’ way of life. (YOUCAT question 34)
Do I put God first in my life? Can people tell I’m a Christian by the way I treat others, even people I don’t like? Have I adopted Jesus’ way of life, or do I just nod my head at God’s love?
It’s not enough to believe that God is love. I have to believe that God in His love wants to make me perfect, and I have to realize that He can’t make me perfect without my consent and cooperation. God’s love isn’t some touchy-feely “feeling.” Like the old DC Talk song says “Luv is a Verb.” Part of God’s love is the action of providing all the best for me. This includes purifying and perfecting me. I can imperfectly provide the best for others by doing my best for them, by going out of my way for them. I can, to paraphrase St. Paul “anticipate others in showing honor” (see Romans 12:10).
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