LOVE IN ACTION
Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.
Proverbs 14:31 (NIV)
Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
1 John 3:18 (NIV)
Love is one of the most beautiful words—and one of the easiest to keep abstract. We say God is love. We sing about love. We talk about loving others. But Scripture insists that love is more than what we feel or say; it also involves how we see others and what we do. Jesus never loved from a distance. He touched lepers, noticed the unseen, fed the hungry, and crossed social boundaries to restore dignity. Love, in His hands, always moved toward need.
Mother Teresa famously said, Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love. Her work in Calcutta focused not on eliminating poverty overnight but on treating each person as infinitely valuable—washing wounds, holding the dying, learning names. Love, for her, was intensely practical and deeply personal. One act of love at a time. Then another. Then another.
That is love in action. Not dramatic. Not efficient. But deeply Christlike.
Putting love in action doesn’t always mean solving problems; often it means stepping toward people. It looks like patience when it would be easier to withdraw, generosity when resources feel tight, and forgiveness when resentment feels justified. It is love that costs us something—time, comfort, pride—and gives life to someone else. This sort of love shapes communities, economies, relationships and ultimately the world.
If you want to bring lasting change, here’s some direction from Romans 12:9-21:
- Love sincerely.
- Hate what is evil, cling to what is good.
- Honor one another above yourselves.
- Share with those in need.
- Rejoice with those who rejoice.
- Mourn with those who mourn.
- As far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
APPLICATION: Look back at that list. What’s one way you can put love into action today?
PRAYER: God, You have set the example of what it looks like to put love in action. In Jesus, You didn’t love from a distance but entered our world, bearing our burdens and seeking our good. Teach us to love as You love—with courage, compassion and a willingness to give ourselves for the sake of others. Amen.
“… Our Father in heaven…” Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
- What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
“… may your name be kept holy.” Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
- What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
“May your Kingdom come soon.” Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
- Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
“Give us today the food we need,” Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
- Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I’m around today?
“and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
- Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
“And don’t let us yield to temptation…” Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
- Is there anywhere I’m vulnerable to temptation?