Love is an Action

Love is an Action

So he answered and said, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”   Luke 10:27

It took me a long time to learn the truth of this scripture.  I believed it to be true because it was God’s Word, but I guess I never put it into meaningful action.  I understood the meaning of loving God with all my heart, soul, strength and mind, but then that last part of ‘loving my neighbor as myself’ was a part I just didn’t quite get.  I prayed for them because they really needed it and loaned them small amounts of money when it was needed, which was always returned.

            This part really got me though; but love them?  They were nothing like my family who were responsible grown-ups with good jobs, well brought up children (for the most part). We all took care of our yards and didn’t leave junk lying all over.  Our neighbors on the other hand never did anything to their yards and left things where they lay. There was always a junk car or truck in their driveway and the grass was never mowed unless my husband went over there and did it when he couldn’t stand it any longer. 

            This past year we got to know them a little better.  They both had health issues and needed rides on occasion.  He sometimes came to our door wanting to talk to my husband and we both shared the Lord with him, but he had been in prison for several years and thought differently about God.  I felt a little uneasy about his past.  We always waved to them as we went in and out the driveway.

            I happened to read this scripture again the other day and this time it reached out and grabbed me; I did not love my neighbor! I didn’t even like them. I sat thinking about this for some time; loving and liking are two different things.  You can like something or someone, and that’s it.  But the word “Love” requires action.  I remembered some years ago when my husband and myself were teaching couples on having a good marriage.  One of the things we taught was that Love requires action.

            We can tell someone we love them, in a marriage just the words aren’t enough.  The action of doing things for your husband or wife is a far better way of showing them your love.  Now this scripture is not about your spouse, it’s about your neighbor.  “I don’t mind loving and helping my family and friends, but really, Lord, how can I love my neighbors who don’t seem to even try and help themselves?”

            “What about their souls?”  That’s where my focus should be, not on how they take care of things, but do they even know or understand that Jesus is waiting to help them, no matter what they have done or didn’t do.  I can’t believe I missed it, or maybe I just didn’t want to do anything about it. 

            I started thinking of all the excuses, “I am too old to help them”, “I’ve been sick a lot”, “I can’t walk very well,” and “they smell so bad of cigarette smoke”.  All those excuses are poor excuses. Ask them over and spray your rooms when they leave.  I’m beginning to understand why the Lord had us move here.  It wasn’t like this when we moved here ten years ago, but time doesn’t mean much to the Lord when he is waiting for his children to be obedient to his Word.
            The Bible tells us that “Obedience is better than sacrifice.” (1 Samuel 15:22) I’ve no doubt what God expects of me now and I’m not making any sacrifice but to just please my heavenly Father because we are made to please the One who made us.  Amen