If you’d like, you can read my past meditations on 1 John.
One of the things that got my attention this week in chapter three was the exhortation in verses 16-20:
“We know love by this, that B)’>we ought to lay down our lives for the D)’>whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and F)’>how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and I)’>of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things.”
It is easy to express our feelings about the world’s injustices or feel saddened by the aftermath of natural disasters. I tend to say things like, “We really should be praying for them,” or “I just don’t know how I’d cope with that.”
John tells us that we should stretch our love further than just words. God is certainly the greatest provider. Yet He calls us to put our love into action. That action could be writing a letter to a hurting friend, sending money to a charity working to rebuild an area of natural disaster or making a meal for an elderly neighbor.
But what if we took it one step further? We could visit the hurting friend, go on a missions trip to help with rebuilding efforts or coordinate two weeks worth of meals for our neighbor.
The love of God is poured into our hearts through Jesus; shouldn’t we respond by pouring that love out to others? It does so much to show the love of Christ, keeps the focus off ourselves and makes us thankful for how God supplies all our needs. Our family desires to do just that (we’ve joined with this link-up challenge to help motivate us) especially during the holiday season.
Blessings to you this week!
photo credit
WANT TO SPEAK WITH GRACE TO YOUR KIDS INSTEAD OF YELLING?
6 Comments on Week 7 of 1 John, Chapter 3
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Jennifer,
Wanted to make sure you received my email about being the featured blog this Thursday in the Koinonia Community. If you didn’t get it, shoot me an email and I’ll resend it! :)
Oh such good thoughts and one I’m trying to really implement with my own children… and myself!!!
Great to see you back today and linking up with the Koinonia Community! :)
I agree, sometimes my biggest challenge is to show kindness and patience with my own family!
I too was challenged by this! But from a closer-to-home angle – I have no problem going to love others, it’s harder to love those you’re around 24/7 sacrificially :D Thanks for sharing, visiting from Mom’s Mustard Seeds
LOVE your link up challenge (you have joined) and I can’t wait to read more about it! Yes…loving by reaching out and doing…it grows us so much! Thank you for this post and introducing me to the linky!
Like you, I believe praying is good and vital and necessary, but we should also sacrifice some time and other resources and ACT! It’s easier said than done.