By Bob Goff
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
JOHN 13:35
I’ve heard a lot of people say something like this: “I’m not big on religion, but I could really get into Jesus.” Have you ever heard that? I think it’s because people assume religion is a bunch of rules governed by religious zealots who spend their days deciding who’s right and wrong. I can’t really say I blame them.
Perhaps a more accurate way to see faith is that it’s a bunch of ideas and Jesus was a bunch of action. Sure, there are times in the Bible where we see Jesus teaching. But more often, we see him telling stories or getting down on one knee to look a child in the eye or feeding hungry people or healing the lame.
We all know people who are eager to tell us what they believe—about God, about the poor, about love and heaven and hell. But ideas can only get us so far. If your car breaks down in rush hour traffic, do you want someone to send you a detailed diagnostic of what went wrong? Or would you prefer a pair of jumper cables, a lift, or a call for a tow truck? If you know a single parent who lost their job, do you think that person wants a performance review or a gift card to a local grocery store?
Understanding the Bible is important, no doubt. I spend loads of time discovering the truths in its pages, but the moment we chase knowledge at the expense of loving others, we’ve missed the point of Scripture. Remember that the world will know what we believe by seeing what we do. Be love, and you can’t go wrong.
What will you do for someone today that demonstrates God’s love?
Also read the Bible Gateway Blog posts:
- Live in Grace, Walk in Love: A Daily Rhythm
- Live in Grace, Walk in Love: Quit Being “Right.” Be Humble.
The above article is excerpted from Live in Grace, Walk in Love: A 365-day Journey (Thomas Nelson, 2019) by Bob Goff (@bobgoff). Copyright © 2019 by Bob Goff. Published by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission of Thomas Nelson. www.thomasnelson.com. All rights reserved.
Live in Grace, Walk in Love is published by HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc., the parent company of Bible Gateway.
Bio: Bob Goff is the founder of Love Does, a nonprofit organization that operates schools and pursues justice for children in conflict areas such as Uganda, Somalia, Afghanistan, Nepal, and India. The author of several bestselling books, Bob is a lawyer and serves as the honorary consul for the Republic of Uganda to the United States. He is an adjunct professor at Pepperdine Law School and Point Loma Nazarene University and lives in San Diego with Sweet Maria, their kids, and extended family.
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