1 John 3:16-18 ESV 16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

Dear Fellowship of the Burning Heart:

BY THIS WE KNOW LOVE – The loving sacrifice of our Savior is the proof of his love. In the Bible love is an action word, not an emotion word. Love has to reveal itself in action to show that it is real. Many talk about love, many say they feel love, but few are willing to pay the price to love in actions, in deeds. We who follow Christ must be ready to follow his example. Our rights, our desires, our demands are what concern us. When we are offended, we want to lash back. When we are mocked or ridiculed, we want to snap back. When we are hurt, we want to inflict pain. These are NOT the acts that reveal love. We must be ready to lay down our lives for our fellow believers. Whatever discomfort, pain, or loss we endure will be more than compensated in the future.

John illustrates the very practical and concrete nature of biblical love. Seeing a brother in need and closing our heart to it is a failure to love. Love expresses itself in actions. Loving in deed and in truth means that we must respond in loving ways to those in need. We cannot just ignore the need and pretend that it doesn’t exist or that we are not responsible to offer help. We have spoken of the value of asking ourselves, “What would Jesus do?” Well, in this situation what would Jesus do? When confronted with need, he never turned a deaf ear, a blind eye, or a cold shoulder. He always responded. He didn’t always work in ways that the seekers expected, but he never ignored them or their need either. He always took them seriously. When the man at the temple who had been lame from birth asked Peter and John for alms, he expected them to give him some money. After they had his full attention, they spoke to him with an unexpected “I have no silver and I have no gold, but what I do have I give to you.” The man was told to rise and walk in the name of Jesus and when he responded in faith, he left with no money but no need to beg for it either. He was walking away shouting (Acts 3). God does not expect us to give what we cannot, to do what we cannot. He expects us to respond in love by doing what we can. He will do the rest. The person who loves others will always leave wanting to do more, feeling enough was not done, but knowing that all that could be done was done. God expects no more and no less. Love demands no more and no less.