Just Love Somebody!

I tweeted earlier this week that:

“True believers are marked by their love. It flows from God through men and women to the world. Want to impact the world? #LoveSomebody”

I whole heartedly believe this is true. Last week I sat down with my friend Joel, a man I have much respect for whose love for God and others cannot help but splash out in the world around him. He shared a very moving story with me that I immediately knew had to be shared with our church. Please take a few minutes and watch this powerful video that tells the beautiful story of a simple act of compassion.

Sometimes we fail to do what we could because we feel it would be insignificant and of little effect. The truth is that while the small actions usually fail to garner publicity, they often have the greatest impact.

Mark 12:41-44 (NLT)

41 Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. 42 Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins.

43 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. 44 For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.”

While this passage obviously talks about giving money I believe it can be applied more broadly. We live in a world that is in need of all sized acts of compassion. Large gifts and projects are great and when they come it is a real blessing to both the church and community. The point of the parable however isn’t the size of the gift, however it is the size of the heart of the giver. We need more people singing Happy Birthday to Justine than we need people who give from “a tiny part of their surplus”. I am not knocking the undeniable power of big gifts or movements. I am stressing the unstoppable power of sharing the love of Christ.

Sharing God’ love through small or large acts of compassion doesn’t cost anything but their impact is priceless. To close I want to share this quote:

“People are less impressed with our words than they are with our actions of love for one another. Your love for one another speaks volumes about God’s love: how loud is your voice?”

-Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life