Little children, let us not love in word or speech, but in action and in truth.
1 John 3:18 (CSB)

“Action speaks louder than words.” How many times have you heard this phrase growing up, or how many times have you uttered this to a child? Our words are important, but our actions either amplify or contradict those words.

Earlier in 1 John 3, John describes the love which Christ displayed through his actions for us. He freely offered himself as the sacrifice for the sins of the world and took our place of punishment. There is no greater love than this.

What then should our acts of love look like? While few are called to literally sacrifice their life for another, although this happens, most of us operate in the ordinary and the mundane. Our acts of love are less glamorous, but they are nonetheless meaningful. Here are some practical, everyday examples to help display our love:

1. Show up. It is easier than ever to communicate through technology with one another, but with modern means of transportation, it is almost as easy to just show up at a person’s house or work. Spend a few minutes in person asking how they are doing, and then pray together thanking God for His work in their life and offering supplication. It does not have to be a long visit, but show up and physically interact together.
2. Provide help. We all have skills and we need to use them to help one another. Help change the brakes on a car, help lay tile in a bathroom, help set up a home network, help mow a lawn, make a meal, and there are numerous other ways to help one another. Use the skills that you know and assist one another.
3. Plan time together. Schedule a time and activity to do together. Talk a walk or bike ride together, make a fun meal together, volunteer together at a local crisis pregnancy center or food bank, organize a kid’s play date and be with other parents. Plan, schedule time, and be together.

While our words of love have meaning, our actions speak volumes. Let us be a people of action as we love one another.