In the past couple of meditations, we discussed two characteristics of Jesus’ love which Dr. James Denison identified. The third one is set in the context of Jesus’ act in John 13. This was where he washed the dusty feet of His disciples, a pointer to the fact that love is practical. The writer of the Book of Acts talks of the things which Jesus began both to do and teach. Jesus’ ministry was not skewed in theories and talk shows, it was practical. His custom was to do a thing before teaching it to others. So He demonstrated love before demanding from His disciples to show love. Whether by feeding the hungry, healing the sick, or visiting with people, He passed the same message across that love is practical.
“To love like Jesus is to be practical in our profession… We are enjoined to not love in words only but in deeds.”
To love like Jesus is to be practical in our profession. We are to be there for those who are nursing a wound. We are meant to provide food for the hungry as much as it lies within our means. Believers are to ensure that all have clothes on their back, letting our charity begin from home – the household of faith. James reasoned along this line. If any brother is destitute of basic essentials of life and comes to us, coating our words in religious clichés like “be blessed” is not a sign of love. We are enjoined to not love in words only but in deeds.