Listen

Little children, let’s not love with words or speech but with action and truth. This is how we will know that we belong to the truth and reassure our hearts in God’s presence. Even if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts and knows all things. Dear friends, if our hearts don’t condemn us, we have confidence in relationship to God.

1 John 3:18-21

Think

The phrase “actions speak louder than words” is popular and often repeated when someone’s actions and words are inconsistent. We can say that we love people, but when we treat people in ways that are hurtful, our words and our actions are contradictory. It can also be easy to say that we are going to do something for others, and then forget to follow through with those actions.

This passage also assures us that God knows our hearts. God knows our intentions and our motives. We are challenged to examine our hearts, confident that God knows us. This is an invitation for us to stop and pause before we say or do something that could be hurtful to others. When our actions show love to others, it shows that we really mean our words about God’s love.

Stephanie Ezell

Question to Ponder:

How can we be mindful of our words and actions being consistent with each other?

Pray

Dear God, thank you for loving me and for knowing my heart. Forgive me when I hurt others with my words or actions. Help me to live in ways that honor others and that honor you.

Amen.

Go

Go into the world, with the love of God.

Go into the world, with the peace of the risen Christ.

Go into the world, inspired by the Holy Spirit.