Praise & Pray

Love is the truest mark of Christianity. This is because being a Christian goes beyond believing in Christ. In fact, the first Christians got that term because they were Christ-like (Acts 11:26).

To be Christ-like requires us to love like He did. Jesus spent hours teaching, healing, and blessing others. Would He have done any of this for the three years of His earthly ministry if He wasn't a man who loved and loved deeply? Surely, He would not have died for our sake.

As Christians, we have been called to do the same. 1 John 4:21 - And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

There are so many ways to show love. A kind word, gesture or a prayer. All these are good. However, we are also given a practical tip in 1 John 3:18 - Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

What if Jesus, knowing that the 3000 (and more) were hungry, simply told them to go home without feeding them? Instead, Jesus was practical in His love - He gave people what they needed, going so far to solve the problems they didn't even know they had as He did for the woman at the well.

So, how are we - those who claim to believe in Jesus - showing love in a Christ-like and practical manner? Are we encouraging others with God's word because the Holy Spirit tells us that's what they need? Are we giving a dollar to the man asking for help? Are we choosing not to buy that coffee or new shoes so that money goes to the local food bank? And if we're short on funds, are we giving of our time to volunteer at organizations that help the less fortunate?

God has called us to give love to others. The Royal Law commands us to love people as we love ourselves (James 2:8). If we are honest, we love ourselves a little too much. We refuse to be inconvenienced even when the Lord is tugging at our hearts to be a practical source of His love to someone in need.

Brothers and sisters, how do we show Christ-like love in the world we live in? I pray you will consider doing more than you've done in the past. That you'll give your "widow's mite" trusting that the Lord will return it double.

2 Corinthians 9:12-13 - This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.

God bless you and guide you towards loving others even more, IJMN, Amen.

To read old related posts on the topic of love, please visit Topic: Love