Jesus preached with words, but much of his preaching involved tales that were about acting in a certain way. The good Samaritan, the widow’s might, the prodigal son, the man who wanted to store up his grain in a second barn… these are a few examples of people who were faced with situations in which they had to make choices.
Jesus had issues with the leaders in his day who were always reminding him of the laws that he seemed to be breaking. What do Jesus’ actions say to you? “ You can talk, talk, talk” the salesmen say in “The Music Man,” “But you have to know the territory.” Jesus was always aware of what people were going through as they faced the hard choices they needed to make in the course of their lives. Jesus did not only talk about healing; his compassion led to a healing.
We as his disciples need to find a way of reaching out to others not only in the words we say but in the compassion we show through our actions. This is what Jesus meant when he wanted us to love our neighbors as ourselves.
- How do you recognize love?
- What are the ways you show your concern?
- What helps you to show your concern beyond words?
O God, help me to show love through my actions.