Acting Out Truth

Text: 1 John 3:18
Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action. (NRSV)

I’m not so sure that I totally agree with this verse in today’s world.  Well, I think you know what I mean.  We are in a time when our words and speech are angry and hateful.  We have seen the relative safety of posting on social media where you are not confronting others face to face, used as a weapon to hurt and to stir up discontent and promote false narratives that are hard to silence once they have been released.

However, I do understand that what John is saying here is that words are cheap.  It is easy to make lofty speeches that express love and grace and forgiveness and peace, it is quite another thing to take actions that move us toward the accomplishment of the same.

John is insisting that our actions verify the truth of our words of love.  John is insisting that we actually use our resources in ways that love.  And in today’s culture, John would insist that the action of posting our words on social media be consistent with the love of God we espouse as truth.  

As Christians, we are representing to the world the God in whom we claim to believe.  They are watching us.  They are reading our social media posts.  They are seeing how we spend our free time.  They are watching how we use our resources.  They are looking to see if our lives live up to our words.

How are you doing?

Pray with me:

God of love and God of faithful action move me to live my life in ways that prove the truth of your love to the world.  Remind me of your faithfulness that I might be faithful in all I do as I represent you to the unbelieving world around me.  AMEN.

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