²⁰ If anyone says, “I love God,” and yet hates his brother or sister, he is a liar. For the person who does not love his brother or sister whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. (1 John 4:20 CSB)

People in the church speak a lot about loving others. But what are they doing to show such love?

This question has haunted the church for a long time. People like to pick at the hypocrisy that exist within the church body. And it does. There are a lot of reasons for this that could make up many books. But the reality of the situation is that the problem is not the church, it is the flawed people in the church. Sin still exist, and in many cases just as much within the church body as within the world.

So we speak love but we do little to manifest Christ love in how we treat others. The other problem we have is that we need to be humble in how we manifest this love too. It may be our effort but it is God’s outcome that we should be focused on. What we do is not about our piety but about God’s grace and mercy. We cannot make our efforts for God about us.

And when we ask for God to give us an avenue to show His love we tend to cast about for something big to do when the needy are all around us. As our scripture says; “For the person who does not love his brother or sister whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.”

I am lucky to be part of both a large church of hundreds and a small fellowship around forty. I love both churches, but the smaller congregation provides for very intimate interactions where we love on each other whenever someone is hurting or in need.