“A little boy once watched his mother prepare a meal for a sick neighbor. She packed the food carefully, added a handwritten note, and asked her son to help carry it next door. As they walked back home, the little boy said, ‘Mama, I thought love was something you say.’
“His mother smiled and replied, ‘Sometimes it is. But real love is what you do after you say it.’”
That simple lesson reminds us of a serious truth in the Word of God. 1 John 4:20, ESV, says, “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar…” That is plain Scripture! It does not tiptoe, and it does not whisper. It tells us that our love for God cannot be separated from how we treat our brothers and sisters. Here are a few points to seriously consider about real love:
Point #1—Real love must be sincere. We cannot smile in someone’s face while carrying bitterness in our hearts. God sees beyond handshakes, church hugs, and polite words. He knows whether our love is genuine or just a Sunday morning decoration.
Point #2—Real love must be forgiving. Brothers and sisters will not always agree. Somebody may say the wrong thing, forget to speak, sit in “our” seat, or look at us in a way we do not like. However, love refuses to let small offenses grow into lifelong walls. Forgiveness does not mean the hurt was not real. It means we refuse to let the hurt rule us.
Point #3—Real love must be active. Love checks on people, prays for people, feeds, encourages, visits, listens, and helps carry burdens. It is hard to convince people that you love them if you never show up when they are hurting.
Point #4—Real love must be humble. Pride says, “They need to come to me first.” Love says, “Let me do what honors God.” Pride keeps score. Love seeks peace. Pride wants to be right. Love wants to be righteous.
Point #5—Real love must reflect Christ. Jesus loved us when we were not easy to love. He loved us when we were broken, sinful, stubborn, and undeserving. If He loved us with mercy, how can we refuse mercy to others and say we are children of God?
The church should be a place where love is not just preached from the pulpit but practiced in the pews, the parking lot, the choir stand, the kitchen, and the community. The world has seen enough fake love. Our families, churches, and communities need the real thing. Consequently, here is a question for serious thought: If people judged your love for God by the way you treat your brothers and sisters, what would your life be saying? Always abound in the faith, and never leave home without Him!
