1 John 3:18, KJV: “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.”
John summarizes the need for Christians to act on love, not just think about it. It is important to communicate love through our words, but we must also do so through our actions.
Jesus gave a similar warning to the Pharisees in Matthew 15:4–9. Just as truly saving faith will produce good works (James 2:17–19), truly loving another person will produce loving actions. This verse once again uses the Greek root word agape, meaning a selfless, sacrificial love.
Jesus not only spoke about love, He provided powerful actions to match His teachings. John 13 offers a clear example in which Jesus washed the feet of His disciples to teach them to serve one another in humility. His death on the cross offered the most powerful evidence of love “in deed and in truth.” He endured suffering, ridicule, and death from those who should have recognized Him as the Messiah.
Yet His actions also included His resurrection, offering love in action that changed the course of history.
Let us show kindness towards those we love today through our actions – let’s be quick to forgive, thank them, hug them, be still and just listen to them, offer encouragement and support.
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