Real Love Does...

Friday, February 25, 2011
Real Love Does… Have you ever taken the time to think about the difference in saying and doing? This morning, briefly, I want to dive into the difference in the two. Just consider it…
There’s a house ablaze. Inside is a family of 4, trapped. They need help getting out of the house before they perish. Time is running out. An engine from the local fire department shows up. Out jumps a crew of able, trained, and ready to go firemen. They gear up, drag out a hose line, and stand in amazement watching as the house burns, commenting that someone should really rescue that family inside. These "wanna be" firemen talk about rescuing the people inside…real love does.
There’s a homeless man living on the streets of Little Rock. Everyone seems to have the answer to why he’s there whether that’s drugs, alcohol, laziness, or maybe even that he’s not even really homeless but just making a buck off of people’s compassion. But no one on this earth truly knows his story except him. Day after day, hundreds of people pass him by, passing him off as a fraud. A few people talk about how sad it is, and how much they should help him in some way…real love does.
There’s a child in Haiti who is all alone. Her parents were either killed or fled after the 2010 earthquake that demolished everything she’s ever known as home. She now lives in one of many “tent cities” still spread across the famished country not too far out off the coast of the USA. She doesn’t go to school because her time is already absorbed with just scavenging for food and clean water so she can survive. Many folks would hear her story and feel sorry for her, talking about the fact that someone should give a little money to fund the organizations trying to help the people of Haiti. Groups all over the country are gathering this weekend for an event called the 30 Hour Famine, committing to 30 hours without food to raise funds for one such organization called World Vision. These students realize that while many people like to talk about helping the destitute and broken, real love actually does.
The problem began in the beginning of it all. God gave 1 simple rule: Eat of everything else, just not that tree. But they did, and since that moment we’ve all known this thing called sin personally. That issue of sin held us captive and sentenced us to eternal separation from God after this life ends. Then came Jesus. He didn’t just talk about doing what it took to deal with that sin issue, He willingly laid down His life to offer us the forgiveness of that sin that we so desperately needed. Anyone can talk about making a sacrifice for the cause of someone else…but real love does.
Jesus paid it all for us by giving Himself. You can know Him by asking for the forgiveness of your sins through what He did on the cross. Would you consider this decision for yourself today?
He showed us what it means to go beyond simple talk. Because our Savior showed us how to go the distance, this weekend the students at Victory Baptist Church in Cabot, along with the faithful volunteers and a few parents of the student ministry here, are going without food for 30 full hours to help raise funds for World Vision. You can find out more about this amazing organization by going to www.30hourfamine.org. $1 feeds/cares for a child for a day, $30/for a month, $360 for a year. The famine begins after lunch today, and the Famine Weekend Event begins at 6PM. Would you pray for us? And would you consider making a gift of any amount to help us save lives? Anyone can talk about doing their part…but real love does.



That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake

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