Demonstrations of Love

“We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers and sisters. But whoever has worldly goods and sees his brother or sister in need, and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God remain in him? Little children, let’s not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.” 1 John 3:16-18

INSIGHT 

I will never forget the moment I told my wife Denise that I loved her for the first time.

I had made these elaborate plans to tell her while at an arboretum surrounded by flowers. It would be magical and a moment to never forget.

Instead, it happened as we sat on my couch watching our 3rd episode of Parks and Recreation. I looked over at her and blurted out that I loved her. From that point on, Denise and I have been on a journey to deepen our love in this wild life.

Saying I love you for the first time can be intimidating but demonstrating love daily is on another level. Unfortunately, love can easily become a word said out of obligation as time goes on. On the other hand, love can never be demonstrated by checking a box; love has a cost.

Denise and I have put the demonstration of love to the test in some painful ways. It would have been easy to tell Denise I love her as we went through sleepless nights with our son Ivey Brooks, or a cancer diagnosis, or the recent loss of our other little guy Oliver, while never stepping into the messes with her and caring for her. Rather, it has taken time, energy, effort, and sacrifice to get into these moments with her and find ways to demonstrate active and deep love.

Demonstrated love serves as the evidence of our expression of love. When we genuinely love someone, our actions, decisions, time, and energy are sacrificed towards that person. If you are a Christ follower, demonstrated love is non-negotiable.

Jesus never hesitated to remind the people who followed him that of all the laws and commandments they could follow, the greatest one was that they were to love others as he loved them. When Jesus said this, the people might have scratched their heads because, while Jesus had performed some miracles that showed he cared about people, no one would necessarily consider his actions as love.

They had no idea what demonstration was about to be on display.

Jesus went to the cross to remove the debt of sin from all of humanity. On that cross, Jesus forgave those who put him there. On that cross, Jesus looked at a thief in the last seconds of his life and told him that love was going to make a way for him to be in paradise. From that cross to the empty tomb, Jesus put on the greatest demonstration of love that the world would know.

He spoke of his Father’s love to people who listened, and then demonstrated an unimaginable act of love for all of the world to see. And in another demonstration of love, he challenged his followers to be demonstrators of love as well.

The beauty we get to step into is that demonstrations of love comes in all sizes, but the impression on others is always big. Paying for someone’s $2 coffee might not feel like an investment of love, but you have no idea the season that person is in and the influence of your love on them.

Jesus never worried about the level of love he demonstrated, he simply loved everyone. Imagine what your life would look like to love at every opportunity. Demonstrations of love go beyond anything to do with money, but it has everything to do with your heart, time, and energy.

We do not need to pray or ask for opportunities to demonstrate love because they are always around us or in front of us. Rather, we just need to be willing to see them and step into them. May we be a people who demonstrate love more than we say it, and by doing so, give people a glimpse of a Savior who made the ultimate demonstration of love for us.

REFLECTION

●      Who around you needs to tangibly see they are loved by you, and therefore, loved by Jesus?

●      Spend some time in gratitude on the demonstrations of love others have shown you, and how it helped you get a glimpse of Jesus.

PRAYER

Father, thank you for putting immeasurable love on display. There could not be a greater act of demonstrated love than your son on a cross for my sins. I pray that your love for me overflows to others in every opportunity I see. May I be a walking demonstration of love for the world. I pray this in your name, Amen.

Port City writer Davy Nance wrote today’s devotional.