30 Days of Love - Day 9: Don’t Just Say It, Do It!

Day 9: Don’t Just Say It, Do It!

(Click here for Day 8)

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” James 1:22

Have you ever had someone declare how much they love you, but their actions were constantly telling you otherwise? I know in my marriage, and in my relationship with my daughter, I’ve always made a point to tell them both that I love them frequently. However, it took me far too long to realize that the way I was treating them was giving them a different impression. That was rough on me, but I had to confront it in order to grow. It’s perfectly good to tell someone you love them, but it’s meaningless without actions to prove it. I don’t want to live a pointless life for the sake of my pride; how about you?

Here's another example from my own life:

Once upon a time, someone told me that they felt they couldn’t get near me, that I wouldn’t let them get close. I was stunned. My brain struggled to wrap itself around the words I was hearing. I thought I was such a loving person, and that someone should be patting me on the back right now. Instead of really listening to this person’s open and honest feelings, I tried to offer up all kinds of excuses and ways to blame them. (Please don’t do that. It doesn’t help!)

What really irked me was that in the middle of arguing, it started to dawn on me that they were right. As my emotions cooled down, the Holy Spirit began gently showing me examples of just how right they were. Again, I was so mortified. In my heart, this was not the way I wanted things to be. I wanted them to know how much I truly did love them and how much I valued them. But I hadn’t been acting on what was in my heart. I had been acting on emotional impulses, and those actions had been telling a whole different story.

Just like I had to change at that moment, you’ll have moments, quite possibly many of them (I still have them), where you’re put face-to-face with some ugly parts of yourself. You have to decide whether you want to keep clinging to them or just go ahead and give in to the Holy Spirit and do what the Word says. Only one of those paths will lead you to good stuff!

Tomorrow we’ll talk more about the power of choosing to do what the Word says.

Homework:

It’s not always easy to face our shortcomings. But, God doesn’t reveal them to us so we can feel guilty. He shows us so that we (and the people we're around on a regular basis) can live the good life (John 10:10). Where have you been missing it in your love walk lately? Repent and ask God what you should do to make it right.