John keeps going on about loving others and he reminds us of how Jesus loved us —“He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” (1 John 3:16).

Now, you likely won’t be asked to die for someone else, but John says if you see a brother in need and “shut up your heart” from him then how can the love of God abide in you? (1 John 3:17).

John keeps going to make it very clear, “let us not love in word or in tongue but in deed and truth.” (1 John 3:18).

God, open our eyes to see, and do, and say, what you would have us!

And, did you catch that last part? Yes we are to do for others but part of loving others is also speaking truth—deed AND truth!

We can work to fix the circumstances of others, but if we never talk to them about the sin that might have landed them in their hard situation are we really loving them?

Years ago, I served in a ministry for single moms. These moms needed lots of help with things like finances, but they also needed to know that God had a better way than some of them had been living.

I remember one mom who had grown up in a horrible situation. She had been prostituted as a child so her single mother could make money. This young woman was currently sleeping with a man to get her truck payment made when I met her. This was completely normal to her.

If we had only given her money for her food and her utility bill, and not told her that she was precious to Jesus and that He had a better way, would we have truly been helping her?

Honestly, it’s easier to write a check than have a hard conversation isn’t it?

And maybe speaking truth in that situation is easier than speaking loving, freeing truth to those close to us at work or in our own families.

But we’ve got to be able to do both—we are love in “deed and truth” if we are truly to love as Jesus would have us.

Yes, pray. Help in deed as you are led, give others bread when they need it—but don’t stop there. Lovingly give them chain-breaking truth from the daily bread (the Word) you are gathering in. Share truth even when the conversation may feel awkward. Do so with love, but do so!

For that is how we love in deed and in truth!

read1John

Note – this is a continuation of my study of 1 John. Go to this page on Facebook or kimjaggers.com to see other posts on this wonderful book of the Bible.