#306 LIVE LOVE 10-19-26
Love is one of the most beautiful words in the English language, but its beauty is best seen when it becomes a way of life. It is easy to speak about love, sing about love, and even write about love. Yet the true test of love is not what comes from our lips but what proceeds from our lives. John writes, “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:18).
LOVE MUST BE PRACTICED
Love is more than a pleasant feeling toward another person. It is a decision to seek another person’s good through our actions. Jesus did not merely tell us that God loves us. He demonstrated that love by giving Himself for us. Likewise, we must make love visible through kindness, generosity, patience, and service. A cup of water, a listening ear, a timely visit, or an encouraging word may become a powerful expression of Christ’s love. Love that never moves our hands or changes our behavior remains an unfinished testimony.
LOVE MUST BE PERSONAL
“And be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32). Notice how practical this command is. We are to be kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving. These qualities must be demonstrated in our homes, churches, workplaces, and everyday encounters. It is easy to love humanity in general while becoming impatient with the person standing directly in front of us. But Christian love must reach beyond the abstract and touch real people with real needs.
LOVE MUST BE PREEMINENT
Colossians 3:14 declares, “And above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.” Love belongs at the center of Christian character. Knowledge without love can become prideful, service without love can become mechanical, and religious activity without love can become empty. Love binds our Christian virtues together and gives them their proper purpose.
Consider a gift held tightly in your hand. No matter how wonderful that gift may be, the intended recipient cannot enjoy it until you let it go. Love works the same way. It must be given to be experienced.
Do not merely talk about love. Live it. Let others encounter the compassion of Christ through your words, your choices, and your deeds. The world has heard enough speeches about love. It needs to see love walking around in human shoes.
BDD
