A sick man went to the doctor’s office with his wife.
The doctor examined the man and ran some tests while his wife waited in the reception area.
When the doctor emerged with a concerned look on his face, the wife became anxious.
“Doctor, will my husband be okay?” she inquired.
“I’m afraid your husband is very ill,” the doctor replied. “He has a rare form of anemia, and if it is left untreated, he will most certainly die from it. However, there is a cure.”
“A cure…what is it?”
“With rest and proper nutrition, the disease will go into remission and your husband should live for many more years. Here’s what I want you to do: Take your husband home and treat him like a king. Fix him three home-cooked meals a day and wait on him hand and foot. Bring him breakfast in bed.
Don’t let him do anything that you can do for him,” the doctor said. “If he needs something, you take care of it. Give him a back rub in the morning and a full-body massage every evening. Oh, and one more thing. Because his immune system is weak, you’ll need to keep your home spotless at all times. Understand?”
“Yes.”
The wife walked into the examination room.
The husband, sensing that something was wrong, said, “It’s bad, isn’t it?
What did the doctor say?”
His wife answered, “He said you’re gonna die.”
Some folks are like the wife in this humorous story — they say they love others, but bow out when it comes to being inconvenienced or sacrificing for them.
Apostle Paul told the Christians in Rome that they should always look out for each other. He said in Romans 12:9-10, “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another.”
He knew that’s the kind of love that is different from the world and it proves they serve a different God.
Jesus said that true love is known by its actions. In John 15:13, He taught, “Greater love has no one than this: that a man would lay down his life for his friends.”
That’s exactly what Jesus did for us — but He also laid down His life for His enemies! His love in action opened up the way for us to have an abundant life now and eternal life in Heaven.
He set the example for us to follow, and He promised to help us when loving gets tough.
When we turn our backs on those in need because we don’t want to be inconvenienced, it’s like we’re saying to them, “Too bad. You’re gonna die.”
Remember: love is a verb. And actions speak louder than words!

Rev. Doug Johnson is the senior pastor at Raven Assembly of God in Raven, Virginia.