Home » 10 Practical Ways to Show Love in 2018 (3)

10 Practical Ways to Show Love in 2018 (3)

by Damilola Oguntunde

Good morning Friends,

I trust we had a great weekend. Today by God’s Grace, we shall continue in our series on 10 Practical Ways to Show Love in the Year 2018. I trust you have been practicing the 4 ways shared so far. Today we will examine 3 more ways to show love in a very practical way this new year.

In the first installment, we learned about how the Samaritan decided to be his brother’s keeper, even when the Priest and Levite were too busy to help their fellow neighbor. One thing stood out in the whole narrative about the Samaritan’s act. The Bible records that he was moved with compassion. The next three points I’ll be sharing with us border on our compassion tank. The lower we are on compassion, the lesser we are able to minister to those who are in need around us. Without compassion, we will always magnify our own mundane needs above ministering to someone in a genuine need. Spattered around the Gospels, we see how Jesus was moved with compassion towards the people He was sent to and the things that compassion led Him to do. It led Him to heal them, preach to them, feed them and even rebuke them. Compassion will always move you to act in favour of someone else, even sometimes at your own detriment.

Sometimes as believers we become so programmed and structured that we forget to be compassionate towards those in need. The Samaritan had somewhere he was headed, he had travel plans, he probably had a more important task to attend to than the previous passers-by, but because of the compassion he had on the injured man, he magnified the genuine need of the man for survival above his. Why didn’t God just heal him automatically? Why did God need someone to show the victim some care? Why was there need to take him to a “hospital” and use “drugs” for him? That’s a parable to someone who completely blocks out medical channels as a means to God’s restoration. The Priest and Levite probably mumbled the religious prayer “be healed in Jesus name”, or something like “aww, eeya, it is well with this fellow” and still left the man in his dire situation. Compassion always moves you to do something and not simply wish a prayer to placate your convicted soul.

I’ll be sharing quickly, three practical ways to show love and compassion in 2018.

1. Give people some of your precious time: I doubt there is a more profound way of showing honour, love and respect to people than sharing life’s most precious resource with them; Your Time. the Samaritan left all the “important” things he had to do and attended to this injured fellow. He would not even embark on his journey until the next day after making sure the man was recuperating.

Stop insisting you love your family by working hard to get them all they need and then turn around and starve them of your most precious time. Nothing replaces time. If you love someone and haven’t heard from the person, get some airtime and call that person, and please don’t start the call with “You, you cannot even call somebody abi?” Ask about people’s welfare and genuinely intend to go beyond the traditional “fine” response. Spend time praying for their needs, spend your time on people’s needs. Give it to them not because they have given you their time, but because you love them.

Do you know that at least, till He returns, Christ’s daily to-do has always reads “intercede for the saints”. Jesus spends all His time on you and me who scarcely spend time for or with Him. But one way you can be sure to touch His heart is by spending time with those in need of it. When you do it for them, Jesus says you’re doing it for Him. You should go to the prison sometime and just spend time with them. Go to the home of the aged and just hang out and make them laugh. Mentor that person who seem not to have a guide or instructor. Spend time with people, especially those in need of it the most.

2. You don’t need all you have, give some away: What we say more often is that we don’t have all we need, which is true. However, we need to also realize that we don’t need all we have. Sometimes we need to take stock of the things in our possession and audit them. You will discover that you practically have more things you do not need than the things you need… and the things you’re presently clamoring for will soon join the list of the things you wouldn’t need.

Why don’t you convert those mundane and perishable items into an everlasting memorial by giving someone who desperately needs them? You don’t have to sell those items, give! There is someone in your immediate environment who will be so glad to have what you’re looking to change. Have some compassion and give. Don’t look away and turn a blind eye, satisfy that soul. The Bible says the prescribed fast He ordains is that where we minister to those in need and satisfy the afflicted soul… Isaiah 54;4-11. When you are compassionate towards those in need, you convert earthly and mundane currencies to eternal store of value that never gets corrupted, and you lay up treasures for yourself in heaven

Matthew 19:21 (KJV) Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

3. Support a Missionary: I think this is one of the most fulfilling things you could ever do for yourself and with your money in the year 2018. Seek out a missionary who is accountable and on a mission for the Gospel and commit to supporting such a missionary with money regularly. The truth is, a part of that salary you call yours has no eternal value if it’s not invested directly into the gospel. Giving to people is awesome, but giving into the propagation of the Gospel is even more awesome. Give to ministries who are serious about the gospel, give for the harvest of souls.

There are some really sad stories out there about missionaries who pass on simply because of the lack of basic necessities. This is no emotional blackmail, it’s the sad reality going on out there. That people who give up their ambitions and promising careers for the gospel don’t even have enough back-up from “co-labourers” in blue and white collars. When the city people and city Church think that they are prospering and the mission Church suffers, that is the true picture of poverty and nakedness like The Book of Revelation illustrates. Same goes to individuals, please be rich towards the work of Christ upon the earth and in the souls of men. There is a promise in Daniel 12:3b says those that turn many to righteousness shall shine as starts forever. You are either going to the field, sending and funding those who go and you must keep praying for them at all times.

Luke 12:21 (KJV) …So is he that layeth up treasure for himself and is not rich unto God.

Be compassionate towards people and by so doing, you get God’s Beeper beeping all day long. If you’re wondering what God’s Beeper means, then you should read the first installment of this series.

Have a fantastic week ahead. I love you.

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8 comments

Taiye Emmanuel Abiodun January 29, 2018 - 10:00 am

LEAVE YOUR COMMENTGod bless you sir. This is insightful and Instructive.

Reply
Dami January 29, 2018 - 10:41 pm

Bless God. Thank You Brother TaIyE.

Reply
Victory Osarumwense January 29, 2018 - 6:51 pm

Pdams this is so true. More grace to you!!

Reply
Dami January 29, 2018 - 10:42 pm

Amen… Thanks Vee

Reply
Ololade January 29, 2018 - 8:02 pm

I’m so blessed! Thanks for being a blessing!

Reply
Dami January 29, 2018 - 10:42 pm

Bless God forever. I’m glad you were blessed.

Reply
Adeniyi Adekemisola January 29, 2018 - 10:58 pm

Well-done sir! Thank you for sharing this. I am grateful.

Reply
Dami January 30, 2018 - 11:56 am

Thank You Kemi. You’re welcome. Bless God.

Reply

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