So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My
people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth
they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain. – Ezekiel 33.31
‘Be ye doers of the word, and not just hearers’ James
writes. John says that our love should not be in word only, but in deed and in
truth. The people of Israel were full of words of love, but nothing was in
their hearts. God said of the people ‘they sit before you as My people, they
hear your words, but they don’t do them. With their mouths they show much love,
but their hearts pursue their own gains.’
Love talk is cheap. It is easy to talk about love and
sing about love and all that but it when it comes down to actually acting in
love it is much harder. Love means action. Love means we keep loving even when
people are unlovable. The ultimate standard for love is this; greater love has
no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend. Our love in action
should be such that we put ourselves last. Love means time and effort and sacrifice.
True love is not only words and songs – true love is action.
Ezekiel hints at what prevents true love here when he
says ‘they show great love with their mouths, but…’ That but makes all the
difference in the world, …but their heart pursue their own gain.’
It is the pursuit of our ‘own gain’ that keep us from
loving the way we should. Love in action may at times require great things, but
sometimes love in action is cleaning the toilet or emptying the dishwasher or
making an early morning airport run or minding the kid or making a hospital
visit or bringing home some flowers or any number of simple every day love
actions. It is listening to a friend when we have other things to do. It is
making a phone call we don’t want to make. It is being rejected and still
loving.
Love God and love others. That’s how Jesus summarised God’s
plan for us.
How is our loving?
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