By Dr. Marty Folsom It is easy to say I love you as an affirmation of goodwill, but the ones we really love know it through our actions. We can say we love the world, but what do we do to show it?
God so loved the world that He gave His Son. What was this all about? It was about bringing humanity home to be restored to the Family God has created. When we discover the love of Jesus, we know that our response is not just to say that He exists, but rather that we get to share a life of love with Him and those who He calls us to love right around us.
“By this all will know we are His disciples, that we love one another.” Is this just a thought or an attitude in our head? That is hard to see. Love has traction when it is the motive for how we act towards all with whom we interact. We can start every day and know that we are loved, reconciled, and given our very breath by the Living God. Love goes into action when we get up and ask the Spirit who to act in love towards. This might start with loving ourselves by brushing our teeth. Then we may look at the calendar to see who we need to meet or help today. It may mean sending a note of encouragement or making a call to connect. Love lives in our actions.
The law is fulfilled when we love one another. Being a positive presence in others’ lives spills over from the love we have received that, in turn, becomes a blessing to others in action.
Dr. Marty Folsom will be continuing our study of Romans in the “Love First” series this weekend. Join us as he teaches from Romans 12 about “Love is an Action.”