PODCAST
Love In Action
May 23rd, 2013
1 John 3:11-24
My dad had a soft spot in his heart for the down-and-out. He often hired men that others would consider outcasts to work on our farm. Since Mom served lunch to the hired hands, we sometimes shared our family table with men who were toothless, dirty, and mentally challenged. As a child, I thought nothing of eating my lunch with these men because my parents treated them as equals.
Today I understand that my parents were living out 1 John 3:18. It’s easy to say that we love everyone, but to love with actions requires us to put ourselves into uncomfortable situations. It could mean sitting with someone at church who doesn’t fit in, serving lunch at a homeless shelter, or even talking to a lonely nursing home resident.
But we don’t necessarily need to leave our homes to love with actions. Something as simple as doing a load of laundry or mowing the grass could be examples of loving with action (if these jobs are usually done by someone else in the family). If we keep our eyes open, we’ll find opportunities to apply today’s key verse every day.
Author: Marsha Turner-Shear
Tags: Compassion, Love
