Gather and Give by Amy Nelson Hannon

Author:Amy Nelson Hannon
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Published: 2022-08-10T00:00:00+00:00

“Let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” Simply stated: loving and serving go hand in hand. If God’s people love people, then God’s people serve people. You see, love is more than a feeling, more than an idea, more than intention. Love is more than well-wishing or expressing concern. It moves. It gestures. It acts. Bob Goff explained in his book Love Does, “Love is never stationary. In the end, love doesn’t just keep thinking about it or keep planning for it. Simply put: love does.”2 The depth of love we’re encouraged to show throughout Scripture moves beyond, “I’m so glad you’re in our neighborhood” and, “I’m so sorry to hear that!” Love moves to action.

Love goes to the grocery store. Love takes out the trash. It drives a meal across town. Love vacuums and dusts. Love sweeps the porch. It runs errands on behalf of others. Love pours coffee and steeps tea. Love hosts an elderly neighbor or a gaggle of giggling girls. Love loads the dishwasher. It sets a table or counts paper plates. Love picks up a pizza. Love sears meat and roasts carrots. Love folds towels and washes sheets. Love leans in, speaks with grace, and prays. Love opens the door. Love welcomes. And love serves.

In 1 John 3:17, quoted on the previous page, we saw these words: “If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?” How can people who say they love God see emotional and physical needs of those around them and not be moved to action? John said they can’t, or the love of God isn’t truly in them. With respect to biblical hospitality, we can translate 1 John 3:17 this way: “What good does it do to have the means and the time to make a few freezer meals if you don’t prepare them for a pregnant friend?” “What good does it do to have the ingredients for soup in your pantry if you don’t make it and share it with your grieving neighbor?” “What good does it do to have a guest room if you don’t turn down the sheets and invite someone to stay?”

Here’s the bottom line, friends. If we say we love God and we claim that His love is in us, then we serve others. God’s people love people. And God’s people serve.

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