Tonight my daughter told me that her friend is going to be evicted from her home. This girl’s parents don’t have the money for their apartment anymore. If they can’t find someplace to go, they are going to send this little girl to live with her grandfather in Tennessee.
Then my daughter asked if she could move in with us. You know, stay with us until her family could work out other arrangements.
Later my son said he saw that one of our neighbors had two bicycles they weren’t using. He said they once offhandedly mentioned he could use one.
It seems he’s been concocting a plan, a way to get a new boy a bicycle. By new, he means this kid is not only new to his school and the town, but new to the country. He’s from the Philippines. He thought maybe this neighbor with the extra bikes might let this kid use one for a while.
He said, “You know, I think someone should try and be his friend, so I thought it could be me.”
Love is an action word.
My kids remind me of this all the time. They wear their big hearts on their sleeves.
It’s like the time my son brought the boy down the street a bunch of food. It was not a forced “good deed” or a family project. It was him, a twelve-year old boy, seeing a need and doing what he could to fill the need.
I Corinthians 13: 1-3
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
I heard these verses preached nearly a year ago and that message is still on my mind.
If we have good deeds, faith, integrity, church membership…you fill in the blank…no matter how good it is, it’s nothing without love.
Faith, the stuff that moves mountains, is nothing without love.
God said it.
And though I bestow all my goods to feel the poor…but have not love, it profits me nothing.
That part gets me.
Does God mean that we can give and still not have love?
I thought giving was an act of love.
But, it’s not always, is it?
So, for the last year, I’ve thought about loving in a very real, tangible way, a way that hurts sometimes. It’s more than just writing a check (although sometimes that’s needed).
It’s about giving myself.
My kids teach me how over and over again.
I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, too. Kudos to you and John for raising such amazingly thoughtful and generous kiddos!! I want my boys thinking and acting like this as they approach the teenage years! The apostle John tells us that others will know we are Christians by our love. I’m not sure people always recognize me as a child of God. One of my goals is to cultivate more of a life of giving. Great post!!
Tricia! This reminded me of an old DC Talk song – Luv is a Verb.
“Back in the day there was a man
Who stepped out of Heaven and he walked the land
He delivered to the people an eternal choice
With a heart full of love and the truth in His voice
Gave up His life so that we may live
How much more love could the Son of God give?
Here is the example that we oughtta be matchin’
Cause love is a word that requires some action!”
Love is an action word! So beautiful.
I am going through the Fruits of the Spirit at school with my 1st-3rd graders. May I use this post as a tangible example of Love? from Kids?
When kids do Love like this, from their hearts, and so simply, with such grace and ease, it convicts me so! Adults should take lessons from them! (At least I should…)
Praise God for their loving hearts, Mama and Papa. They have seen it in your lives.
Very good! Your kids are awesome, and I say that with the highest level of sincerity possible. They’ve learned this love from their parents who’ve set a wonderful example for them. If love were just words to you and FringeMan, it would just be words to your kids, but praise the Lord, it’s not. Thank you for being like Christ and not just saying your are.
Beautiful! This is such a beautiful display of love!
I love this post, your kids, you!!!!! I love when you talk about faith and life.
What a legacy you are instilling in your children. Love.
I’m sure you’ve heard the song made of those scriptures by For King and Country – Proof of your love but if you haven’t, you should def look it up on YouTube. Superb good song.
Apparently I loved this post so much I forgot how to use punctuation and form proper sentences. 😉