When someone forwards me an email, if that thing has a guilt trip in it, telling me what a terrible person I am if I don’t forward it to 12 friends in the next 15 minutes, even if I really liked it, I delete it.  I hate the way they try to manipulate you in those things.  Hate it!   No, the only time I’ll forward something, or share it on Facebook is when it has brought me pleasure and I can’t wait for my friends to experience that same pleasure.  Even better is being there when they watch it.  I love watching what happens on their face.

When I experience something really cool, I look for chances to tell somebody else.  (“Hey! you’re not going to believe what they do to a shrimp po’ boy in this place…”)   Why?  It feels good; it increases the joy of having found it in the first place.  I’m just guessing you feel the same way, right?

Well then, you won’t be surprised to read why John decided to write the letter included in the Bible, called 1 John. (We’ve been going through 1 John here.  The first post about it is “Been There, Done That“)   He said:

We write this to make our joy complete.  (1 John 1:4)

A lot of people think the writers in the Bible are going to be shouting at them and scolding them.  That’s why they don’t read it.  They assume it will be about as much fun as going to the principal’s office in grade school.  Or getting chewed out by a cop after they blew through a stop sign.

But that’s not why John wrote.  He’s experienced something with Jesus and he can’t wait to tell you about it.   He wants to see your face light up like his did.  When you read through 1 John, make sure you hear it in that tone of voice.

By the way, if you don’t forward this to 12 people in the next 15 minutes, or share it with all your friends on Facebook, you are a worthless slimeball and all your toenails will turn black.