October 22nd: Active Love
ACTIVE LOVE By Jon Soden
Reading Excerpt:
““Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” Matthew 25:34-40
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When the Pharisees asked Jesus what the greatest commandment is, “Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”” Matthew 22:37, 39-40
Jesus states that to love God and love others is the basis of our faith. Jesus is not promoting one commandment over another...rather, He defines the "law" in its essence and core principles.
The Old Covenant was based on the Torah comprising of 613 "laws" for the Israelites to follow, and further broken down into the 10 Commandments. Jesus fulfilled the law when he completed the ultimate act of love on the cross. But while on Earth, he also summarized the law into loving God and our neighbor. Jesus says everything hangs on these two commands. Matthew 25 further states that by loving our neighbor we are loving God. That’s not metaphorical. It’s literal. Every command about justice, mercy, worship, purity, and community finds its root in love.
Paul echoes this in Romans 13:10: “Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”
Love isn’t just a feeling. It's an action. It's an active decision that we need to make every day. It moves toward need, toward pain, toward risk. In Matthew 25, Jesus paints a picture of final judgment not based on theology or titles, but on compassion in action. The ones welcomed into the Kingdom aren’t praised for their beliefs—they’re honored for their response. They fed, clothed, welcomed, and visited. They saw a need and stepped in.
This kind of love can be very difficult. Personally, I go through ups and downs of expressing this kind of love, as I'm sure many of you do as well. When life is good--health, finances, family, etc.--it can feel a lot easier to display love to others. However, when times are tough, it makes it that much harder to act the way Jesus commands us to.
We obviously have a very unique opportunity as firefighters to display this kind of love, especially to people that we don't know. Not many people have the opportunity to quite literally act upon Jesus’ commands in Matthew 25 on an everyday basis as we do. This is a lifestyle, a blessing, and an opportunity that we cannot take lightly.
“...From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” Luke 12:48 NIV
When I read Matthew 25, it makes me grateful for my job and the opportunities I have. Acting upon it is not always as easy. Whether it be a rude patient, late-night calls, or working a force, showing this type of love on an every call basis can be difficult.
Many times, we don't have those heartfelt feelings that lead towards love and compassion. And that's okay. Scripture paints a deeper picture: love as a choice, a discipline, a way of being. It’s a decision to act in someone’s best interest, even when your emotions are silent or screaming the opposite. There will be days when love feels far away. That doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It means you’re human. And it’s in those moments that choosing love becomes holy.
Sometimes the most Christlike love is the one you choose when you feel nothing at all.
This is important on multiple levels:
We are obeying God's commands.
We are providing tangible help to those in need, whether it be physically, emotionally, or spiritually.
It strengthens our relationship with the Lord.
It sets an example of our faith for others.
Many people that are not followers of Christ state that they think "Christians" are not good people; they say they don't follow their own commands from the Bible and often treat others worse than non-Christians would. And, to be fair, this can be a very unfortunate reality. Someone that claims to be a Christian that then does not act Christlike can be very damaging to someone who is unsure about their faith.
While we cannot control everyone else and their actions, we can control ours. Work is a great place where we can control our actions, our demeanor, and our responses to be Christlike, especially when it comes to enacting the principles of love from Matthew 25. For those that complain that Christians don't "practice what they preach," you can be that example in their life of someone who does "walk the walk." If you proclaim yourself as a Christian at work, be mindful that our coworkers are watching our actions. This is a blessing and opportunity. By living a life of love, others will take notice.
We all experience taxing days where we feel burnt out. But by choosing to love, sacrifice, and work for God, it will strengthen you; be more fulfilling, and sustainable. When tired, burnt out, and worn down, give it up to the Lord. If you go your whole career relying on your own strength, you will not make it without sacrificing your well-being, health, and family. Just as importantly, our actions as Christians won't match our commands, bringing our faith into the spotlight and question of non-believers.
Sometimes the most powerful witness isn’t loud—it’s consistent. If you’re someone trying to live that kind of love—especially in a world that’s skeptical—don’t underestimate the impact of your quiet faithfulness. You might be the reason someone reconsiders what Jesus is really like.
Discussion Questions:
Can you recall a time when you showed compassion without feeling it—and how did that moment shape your understanding of faith?
In what ways do our actions at work reflect the faith we claim—and how can we grow in consistency?
What’s one small, consistent act of love you can commit to this week?