I just posted a blog about what I have been studying in my GMG Bible study this past week. The passage I've been studying in 1 John 3:11-24 is about love. Specifically, verse 17 says, "But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?" (NASB)
I've been thinking a lot about this verse lately. With the holidays (and Q's birthday) coming up I've gotten several requests for me to make a Christmas wish list. In the midst of racking my brain for what I want, I read this verse. Oooo, conviction! We are so blessed with "the world's goods" at this point in our lives and so are most of the people that we know which sometimes makes me forget about all those who are really struggling to make ends meet right now.
One of the only times I am confronted with this fact is when driving around the city where we live and occasionally seeing people with signs requesting food or money. I don't usually have cash on me, but some of us in our church small group were compelled to do something so we put together bags to keep in our cars.
For the cost of $12 per couple in our small group we assembled 100 brown paper bags that each have a bottle of water, a granola bar, a fruit cup, and a flyer with information on our church's food pantry. We each keep several bags in our cars to hand out when we see people who need them.
This is just a small gesture, but I pray that it is communicating love to those who are hungry. To quote DC Talk (and thus, age myself...) "love is a verb" and I can't claim to love people and not do something when I see a need that I am perfectly capable of addressing. 1 John 3:18 says, "let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth."
Does your family have any creative ways to intentionally show love to others? I'd love to hear them and maybe implement them!
2 comments:
I used to do something similar when I was living in New York. I put together apple sauce cups, peanut butter sandwiches, some cookies and a handmade Christmas card. Thick socks can also be a good addition. :-)
You reminded me to share that anytime we pass an accident on the road, as a family we stop all conversation or music and pray for those people affected. It's not something physical to help them but we know God is in control of the situation and His Will will be done.
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