Beautiful Word Devotional #7

Let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

1 John 3:18

It’s easy to say the right words, the words that people want to hear. It’s harder to live out the meaning of those words. As the apostle John taught, we need to demonstrate our love: rather than merely talking about our love, we are to love “with actions and in truth.”

When we love “with actions,” we show others we love them. When our spouse is exhausted, we do the dishes. When our friend is hurting, we send flowers. When a child is sick, we help her through a feverish night.

When we love someone “in truth,” we are also willing to tell them truth they may not want to hear. We lovingly tell a friend we’re worried about her drinking. We love relatives by gently telling the truth about the past. Then, when our friend is amazing, we give specific positive feedback.

What will you do to love someone “in truth” today? Whom will you love with actions—and what will those actions be?

Lord, teach me to show my love to the people in my life with my actions, not just the words I say, amen.