Practical Faith

Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive
to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.

– 1 Thessalonians 5:15

When asked by one of the Pharisees — a strict religious sect — to name the greatest of God’s laws, Jesus astounded his audience by the simplicity and clarity of his response:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment,” Jesus said. “And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

With just a few brief words, our Savior summarized a key biblical principle: That God’s love, translated into beneficial motivations and actions through our faith in Jesus Christ, is an unstoppable, world-changing force.

It’s also a reminder that LOVE is an action word. But that's a hard concept for many people because they link it to weddings, chocolates, and Valentine’s Day. But Jesus wasn’t talking about some fleeting, awkward emotion. Instead, he's calling you and me to walk in step with him by transforming our love into practical action. That’s everything from helping an elderly neighbor with their groceries to revealing God’s light to inmates through a prison ministry. It could also translate into changing a co-worker’s life by showing them how Jesus changed our own. The possibilities and potential are endless. 

Such practicalities aren’t restricted to perfect strangers and that neighbor down the street. As a family of faith, we should also pray for one another, celebrate each other's triumphs, mourn each other's losses, and sacrifice our own selfish interests for the good of fellow Believers. And it’s by consistently putting our faith into action that the world will know us as The Church: everyone on Earth who trusts in Jesus as their Lord and Savior. As the apostle Paul reminds us:

^“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; 
for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”