“You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.” Amy Carmichael

Wiping the sweat off my forehead, I pushed open the heavy gate and walked down our dirt driveway. My German shepherd licked my hand while I stopped and stared.  

Freshly planted pink rose bushes adorned the front of our house. When I left for Bible study a few hours ago, cactuses dotted the flower bed.  

Tears flowed down my cheeks. When we moved to Africa, my family and I sold our house, and I left behind my rose bushes.

Roses are rare in Zambia, but my husband scoured the city and planted them for my birthday.  

My husband told me that he loved me, but his kindness showed me.  

 As Christians, we are constantly telling people about Jesus. We witness, hand out tracts, and teach Bible studies. But how often do we show people that we love them?

Loving others sounds easy, but it is hard to do. It requires time, resources, and unselfish giving. It forgives messes because God forgives us in our messes. It sacrifices so that others can have. 

We demonstrate love by listening to a hurting soul, preparing a meal for a tired mother, buying a pair of shoes for an orphan, going without the new dress and blessing someone else, or visiting a shut-in.  

God declares His love to us in His Word, but He demonstrated His love by His sacrifice. Our words speak love, but our deeds show love.

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 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? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth." I John 3:16-18

Just as my husband's action displayed his love to me, may we radiate God's love by our actions to others.