”Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
1 John 3:18New International Version (NIV)
1 John 3:18 Devotional
Love with actions and in truth
1 John 3:18 comes right after John states that “if anyone sees his brother in need and does not help him, he does not have love”. Therefore, John widens his argument to say that love is an action.
In other words, you cannot just say, “I love you,” without showing it. It will be meaningless. Because you have to demonstrate the love you have for someone.
However, “love is demonstrable” does not mean that it is wrong to love with words. It’s only that words without “actions” or “truth” are empty and make us liars.
Therefore, it is necessary to use words to bless others. In fact, we are commanded to encourage one another. But it is sufficient to back up your words with corresponding actions. And this is what John is calling you and me to: love others in a Christ-like manner.
John is therefore calling us to action: to love in action, not in words. And he went further and revealed that loving in action is a product of truth which is found in Jesus Christ and His teachings.
Consequently, genuine love is based on truth and manifested in actions, and not speech only. And “actions”, as they say, “speak louder than words”. Or “talk is cheap” as they will sometimes say.
God demonstrated the actions-oriented love
Nevertheless, while we may hear or say such words, this is exactly what God wants you and me to do. He wants us to love others with the love He demonstrated to us through Jesus Christ.
When Jesus lay down His life for us, He demonstrated God’s love for us. God, therefore, expects us to lay down our lives for others – He expects us to sacrifice ourselves for others. That is serve each other to the highest levels.
Additionally, God’s love is known as agape love. And we are only able to love others with this kind of love when we walk in Jesus Christ.
Walking in Jesus Christ
Therefore, when you do not walk in Jesus Christ, you will not be able to love others according to His truth and teachings. And when you walk in Him, you will be able to love others according to His truth and teachings.
Consequently, when you genuinely love, with the love of Christ, you will naturally produce loving actions to accompany your loving words (Matthew 15:4-9, James 2:17-19 and John 13). And the love that apostle Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 will be a reality if you will walk by the Spirit (2 Timothy 1:7).
Moreover, love is the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). It, therefore, requires you to be filled by the Holy Spirit to produce the fruit of the Spirit.
Prayer
Lord, I desire to love like you do and want me to. Fill me with Your Spirit so that I may love others as you love them. Teach me how to love.
I humble myself at your feet so that You may guide and direct me. And I pray this in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Blessing
May God enable you to love someone today as He loves them. Amen.
Daily Bible Reading
Jeremiah 11-14 (see How to Read the Bible in One Year or How to Read the Bible (for Beginners))
