If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God’s love? It disappears. And you made it disappear. My dear children, let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love. This is the only way we’ll know we’re living truly, living in God’s reality. 1 John 3:17-19 (MSG)
If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God’s love? It disappears. And you made it disappear. My dear children, let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love. This is the only way we’ll know we’re living truly, living in God’s reality. 1 John 3:17-19 (MSG)
Caring Means Getting Involved.
The God kind of love was truly demonstrated when He took on our flesh and blood body and personally shared in our life down here on earth. 1 John 4:9-10 (MSG) This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him. This is the kind of love we are talking about–not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they’ve done to our relationship with God.
In the story of the Good Samaritan Jesus demonstrated to us that caring for another person is not merely looking from a distance and feeling sorry for them. It is getting to where they are and actively getting involved in helping them out of the problem, suffering, or pain they are in. Luke 10:30 – 37.
Caring is not mere talk that I care about you, I think about you or I love you. It even goes beyond only telling a person that God loves and cares for you and stopping at that – it is showing it in practice. For some people God loves and cares for you should be demonstrated and proven by a smile; hug; spending a little bit more time with them; patiently listening to them; giving them a shoulder to cry on; contributing what you are able to certain life necessities like food, shelter, health care and education.
Finally here’s James’ take on caring in action.
James 2:14-17 (MSG) Dear friends, do you think you’ll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, “Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!” and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? Isn’t it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense? If It’s true you care, show it, get involved.