“Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions” John said.

How many times have you said someone needs to practice what they preach? How many times have we needed to practice what we preach?

Just a few lines before John wrote this, he talked about how the love of God is sacrificial. God, of course, demonstrated that to the uttermost in dying for people who refused and rejected Him.

The love of God in us is also sacrificial. It sets us aside and does for others. While it could, that doesn’t mean dying for someone. It does mean giving up what is important to us for the sake of someone else.

Sacrifice is giving up what we want to provide for someone else. That sacrifice could be as simple as giving up our time to prepare a meal for someone or to pick up laundry. It could mean bypassing the snack foods to purchase food for someone else. It could mean instead of buying that something bigger/better/brighter, buying the lesser and using the extra funds to help a homeless shelter or family in need.

When we SAY we love and don’t live like this, we’re fooling ourselves more than others. James, the brother of Jesus, wrote that our faith is shown by our actions. John is saying the same thing. If we’re not living out what we say we believer, we’re empty and useless for the Kingdom of God. That doesn’t mean we’re done for. That means we need to back up, confess, repent, and get moving in the right direction.

Let’s start today. What time, effort, or resource can you give up to serve someone else? Who and how will you love today? Don’t just say it. Do it!

Coffee, Bible, Journal.