The Pastor, Water Glass, & Love Abounding
“My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.” 1 John 3:18 NKJV
One of my greatest lessons in love came years ago when my beloved pastor who is now with the Lord while teaching Bible study week after week used to start clearing his throat because he needed water. Though someone usually set his special glass of water on the pulpit before he started, sometimes nobody remembered. I used to quietly get up while he preached, go to the kitchen, fill his special glass with tap water and ice cubes, head back into the sanctuary, quietly walk down the aisle, and set it down on the pulpit so he could get a few gulps of water and continue teaching. He never asked for the water. I just saw his need and wanted to help. I considered it such a humble blessing and privilege and honor to love him in this little way. Why all these years later do I look back and consider this to be a lesson in love?
Some say love is more than a word; it’s action. But I believe it’s more than just action. I believe when we focus our hearts on the Lord and His Word, and love Him, and love others through Him, we keep our eyes and ears ever wide open to see how we can love, bless, help, support, encourage, pray for, walk alongside, and serve others in Christ’s name with Christ’s love – without even needing to be asked. Consistently and continually. Nobody ever asked me to get the water. The Spirit of God was teaching me how to love. To be so focused on God and others, and so willing to humble myself, that I would see someone’s need and desire and lovingly serve that person in Christ’s name. Not for attention, praise, glory, to do a good deed, or to feel good. Simply to love in Chris’s name.
Our world is in dire need of the Lord Jesus Christ, of the Gospel message, of help in following Christ, and of seeing Christ’s love tangibly, visibly, bountifully. In small ways and in big ways, Christ’s Body needs to humble itself and with thankful hearts for the Lord’s overflowing love and provision in our lives pour out His love and provision into others’ lives. Without needing to be asked. But because we so love the Lord, and so love others through Him, and are so focused on Him and on others, that we see opportunities to love and humbly go and serve.
Do we not share Christ’s love because we are too self-consumed? Or only when asked? Should we not pour out the love God by His Spirit pours into us automatically, without hesitation, without expecting anything in return, regardless of how people do or don’t respond, without needing to be asked? Christ’s love to us is endless, sacrificial and ever abounding. Oh, may we love like He does! With His ever abounding love!