God’s Love Made Tangible

“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

—Mark 12:29–31

During college, I worked at a summer camp. At one end-of-term swim meet, the camper in my lane was getting tired. “You’re doing great, Jessie,” I yelled. “You can make it. Keep going.” She panicked and swallowed a big gulp of water, so I jumped in. If she touched me, she would be disqualified, but she just needed someone close enough to keep her from getting scared again. I swam beside her, and I told her, “You’re tough, Jessie, and you can make it. I’m right here, but you can make it.” When we got to the end, she was tired, floppy, and teary, but she looked up at her mom and waved.

After the meet, Jessie’s mom found me. “As a mom,” she said, “all I wanted to do was run down the bleachers and jump in with my clothes on to finish that race with my daughter, and I’m so glad you did. Thank you for caring about my child the way I would have if I was right there.”

That’s what friendship looks like. Friendship is acting out God’s love for people in tangible ways.