Show the Love

Mister Bill and I enjoy a good clean movie with [what we call] whizz-bangs.  These movies must, however, be viewed on the big-screen; you just don’t get the full effect sitting in the living room! How does one person show love and compassion to another person?  Of course, the feelings must be displayed in an audible, visual, verbal, or physical way.  If they’re not revealed in some fashion, they’re a mute point.  One of my favorite thoughts on this subject is, “silence is deafening.”  When we see someone in need and don’t express care or concern, it can be perceived as unconcerned, disinterested, uncaring.  Hurting people don’t “feel the love” perhaps because we don’t separate a person’s circumstances from a person’s heart.  I recall years ago showing a bit of personal hurt to a fellow-Christian and was literally shrugged off as if what I felt was no big deal -- no audible, verbal, visional or physical expression of kindness, no care, no compassion, no comfort, no love.  The New Testament records several occasions when Jesus was “moved with compassion” for people.  His eyes were drawn to their hearts, not their situations or circumstances. If we are to practice love as John described in word, deed, and truth (1 John 3:18), we need to understand something.  When we encounter a troubled soul then we ignore the hurt, turn from the sorrow, walk away from the grief, we “ain’t showing the love” to people. We are called to be effective instruments of His healing, comfort, compassion, reconciliation, and restoration.  It’s how we … show the love.