Love With Its Sleeves Rolled Up

"Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth." — 1 John 3:18
 
Is it possible to say all the right things about love and never actually do anything?
 
Most of us have said it. "Let me know if you need anything." We mean it when we say it. But then we go on with our day, and the phone never rings. Here's what I've learned over the years: people who are hurting rarely call. They're too tired, too embarrassed, or too overwhelmed to ask.
 
So don't ask whether they need anything. Show up with something.
 
Bring the meal. Mow the yard. Sit with them in the hospital waiting room. Pick up their kids from practice. Send the text that says, "I'm praying for you right now," and then actually stop and pray.
 
John says love isn't just something you talk about. It's something you do. And he learned that from Jesus. When Jesus loved us, He didn't send a card. He came. He touched lepers nobody else would touch. He knelt down and washed dirty feet. And then He went to the cross. That's love with its sleeves rolled up.
 
We've spent this week talking about loving the brothers, and I hope it has stirred something in you. But if all it does is give you warm feelings on Sunday, we've missed the point. Loving one another is a command, and commands are meant to be obeyed with our hands and feet, not just our hearts.
 
The world is not impressed by how much we say we love each other. They're watching to see if we'll show it.
 
So, think of one person right now who needs to be loved in deed and in truth. Don't wait until it's convenient. Do one practical thing for them this week. And don't announce it. Just do it, and let the Father who sees in secret take care of the rest.