Michael Furlonger’s Tip For Today is Love. People think “Love” is just this passive thing. Now-a-days, to “love” is just to accept people. I don’t want to get into a big debate, but I want to encourage people, especially Christians, to turn their passive “love” into an active one.
James 2:14-17 reads,
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
In the same way that James is saying add “deeds” to your faith. I’m saying add actions to your “love“.
As Christians, we love to cut through scripture and say, “I just want to love people.” Which is fine. I think we need this desire to love people. And we can talk about teaching and other neglected roles in the church another time.
But, if you’re going to “love” people, how are you doing it? Are you reaching out a helping hand? Calling a lonely neighbour? Connecting with that person at church? Going out for coffee with that friend you haven’t spoken to in a long time?
Or, as I mentioned before, is your idea of “love” more of a “I’m going to ignore you and let you be” kind of love?
“I’m Just Checking In”
I received a text message from an old church group leader once. It said, “I’m just checking in.” Seriously? Not “How are you?”. No “We should go out for coffee.” Not even a “Did you catch the game last night?”
Nope. “I’m just checking in.” You know… It’s as if he works at a hospital. Just doing the rounds. Making sure you’re not dead yet.
How passive is that? Forgive me, but I replied, “Noted.”
Here Are Michael Furlonger’s Tips On How To Love:
- Reach Out: It’s great when you’re at a drive thru and you want to pay for the person behind you. You can’t overly make a connection there. But stop treating your church family like the person at the drive thru. If you can help them financially, great. But, at the very least, connect.
- Repeat after me: How are you? How’s the wife? How’s the kids? Did you catch the game? Have you read any good books lately? Is there anything I can pray for?
- Go Out: Make time and go out. Leonard Ravenhill says, “There’s 24 hours in the day. Ideally you sleep 8, you work 8, what do you do with the other 8?” Of course, he is encouraging spending that time in prayer, but I don’t know anyone who locks himself in a room to pray for 8 hours. But on topic of showing people love, you have 8 hours. Ask these people you “love” out. It doesn’t mean a romantic dinner, just a walk around the block. Or a coffee, although COVID restrictions might make that difficult.
- One time, two of the men in my small church group went out for a run. At first, I was upset that I didn’t get invited. But then I remembered, “I don’t run.” I laughed it off thinking of the scripture that says, “Only the wicked run when no one is chasing them.” But, truth, I was saddened that I’ve been locked up for months due to COVID lockdown and I didn’t get invited to spend time with friends.
- Connect: Let’s be real for a minute. The world is online. People are on social media, they’re working from home, we don’t go to the movies anymore, we watch Netflix, Disney Plus and Amazon Prime (Try Amazon Prime Free For 30 Days through the links at ChristianWritersBookstore).
- My point is that we are in a completely different world today. Let’s try to connect. Due to Facebook’s silly algorithm, I randomly lose touch with friends, so I can’t just scroll through and click “Like”, I have to make an active decision to connect with people. So, try tagging a person in a post, maybe an old picture, just to let them know you’re thinking about them. Comment on their posts, as opposed to the passive “Like”.
- If, like me, they have an online business or even a blog, share it. Let them know that even though we are separated, you still add value to my life.
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