Show the Truth
What truth has been shown to you today?
Verse of the Day
‘Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.’
Today’s Devotional
The truth is going to be shown. Do you realize that? Many times we may not even realize the truth that we are showing to others.
If I cut you off in traffic, the truth is that I believe that my need to get where I’m going is more important than being courteous to you.
If I am late to an appointment with you and I don’t let you know what’s going on, the truth is that I believe that my time is more valuable than yours.
If I say that I want to eat healthy and exercise but never do anything that aligns with that, the truth is that the effort of those healthy disciplines is less appealing to me than the ease and comfort of my current habits.
Words are important. But words are fairly easy to say. Actions, however, require more of us than words do. That’s what today’s verse is telling me. My actions need to do most of my talking. And there’s a problem if my words and my actions don’t match. Because the truth is in the actions.
Just like there is a difference between thinking about something and praying about something, there is a difference between saying that I love you and acting out that love. The words for “love” used here is “agape”, which is a selfless, sacrificial love. We need to be going out of our way to love each other well.
When our home was flooded, people I didn’t even know took time out of their lives to help us in so many ways. That’s love. My mother-in-law used to take time and money to buy and cook food for anyone who was sick or had a death in the family. That’s love. My neighbors rolled my trash cans in last week without being asked. That’s love. My family helped us extensively when we were moving. That’s love.
I read a story today of an extravagant example of love. I’ll let her tell you her story:
“A couple of weeks ago, I posted a box of wood samples to give away on a freecycle Facebook page. We are trying to clear out our garage, and this belonged to my Dad, who passed away about four years ago, so it was a hard give.
Some interest was expressed and I had made arrangements with a member for porch pickup. Then that member messaged me to say that she would rather it go to someone else who had commented later. Who does that? Generous, right? But, wait…the kindness continues.
The second member wanted to take the box of wood and have her husband create something for me to keep that honors my Dad.
For me. A complete stranger. Who does that?
There are no words that can express the depth of gratitude that members of my community can speak love into the life and mourning journey of a complete stranger in such a selfless, beautiful, and creative way.
What began as an old box of “useless” wood samples, was transformed into an exquisite and intricately made recipe box, which honours my Dad, a woodworker and shop teacher, as well as my Mom, who loved to cook, and who I also lost, just weeks before my Dad.
I am blessed to belong to such a healing and loving community that would wade into the muck and mire of another person’s grief and give them tools toward healing; to bring beauty from the ashes.
Who loves so well and gives so generously to a complete stranger?
Well, Erica does…as she generously offered to bow out of the pickup.
And May and George do, as they stepped in to pick up a box of scraps, and as George created it into a masterpiece. (even leaving some of my Dad’s handwriting on it)
This is community, friends. My heart is full of gratitude.”
That’s what love looks like, my friends. It’s using our talents and our time and our resources to let another person know that they matter. This kind of love, by definition, is extravagant. It might even be radical. But it doesn’t always have to be a grand gesture. Some of my most precious memories of being loved are when people took time out of their lives to speak truth to me.
The people in this story never TOLD this woman that they loved her. But their actions certainly did.
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
Where and how do your actions need to match your words?
How can you love someone with action today?
Give yourself a challenge of using only actions to express your love for someone today.
How can you express to God your thanks for His extravagant love for you?