More Than a Nice Thought
Hebrews 10:24 — Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.
Emily Bissell once said, “Great thoughts speak only to the thoughtful mind, but great actions speak to all mankind.”
I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately.
Because you know what?
We can have good intentions all day long.
We can talk about kindness.
We can believe in generosity.
We can think all the right thoughts and say all the right things.
And still leave somebody standing all alone.
I mean, how many times have you thought about calling someone, but never actually picked up the phone?
Or noticed somebody having a hard day and thought, I really should check on them.
But then life got busy.
Something else came up.
And before you knew it, the moment had passed.
I think we’ve all been there.
But when I look at the life of Jesus, something stands out to me.
Jesus didn’t just talk about love. He moved toward people with it.
He noticed the ones everybody else overlooked.
He touched people others wouldn’t go near.
He stopped for the hurting.
He fed the hungry.
He made room for people who had been pushed aside.
His love wasn’t just something He talked about.
It was something people experienced.
And ultimately, He demonstrated the depth of that love by giving His life for us.
That’s a lot to think about as we move through another ordinary day, isn’t it?
Because most of us won’t be called to do something extraordinary today.
We’ll go to work.
Take care of our families.
Run errands.
Answer emails.
Do the same things we did yesterday.
But somewhere in the middle of all that ordinary life, there will probably be an opportunity to love somebody well.
Maybe it’s making that phone call you’ve been putting off.
Maybe it’s encouraging a coworker who hasn’t seemed quite like themselves lately.
Maybe it’s sitting with someone who’s lonely.
Or noticing the person everybody else seems to walk right past.
And here’s where Hebrews 10:24 challenges me.
“Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.”
I love that.
Let us think of ways.
In other words, don’t just wait for kindness to happen by accident.
Be intentional about it.
Pay attention.
Look for opportunities.
Think about what someone else might need and how you could help.
And don’t miss the other part of that verse.
We’re supposed to motivate one another.
That means the way we love people can encourage them to love somebody else.
Have you ever watched someone do something really kind and thought, You know what? I want to be more like that.
Maybe someone paid for a stranger’s meal.
Maybe you watched a friend quietly help somebody who was struggling.
Or maybe somebody showed up for you when you needed them most.
And their kindness stayed with you.
It made you want to do something for someone else.
That’s what happens when love gets moving.
One act of kindness encourages another.
One person chooses to care, and somebody else is inspired to do the same.
And suddenly, what started as one small decision reaches further than anybody expected.
Friend, the world doesn’t have a shortage of people who think kindness is a good idea.
What we need are people willing to put those good thoughts into motion.
People who don’t just say, “Somebody ought to do something.”
People who are willing to say, “Maybe that somebody is me.”
And here’s the beautiful thing.
You don’t have to have a lot of money.
You don’t have to have a perfect schedule.
And you certainly don’t have to wait until you’ve figured out some grand gesture.
You just have to be willing to notice someone and take the next step.
Because sometimes love looks like a meal.
Sometimes it looks like a text message.
Sometimes it’s a hug, a listening ear, or a few minutes of your time.
And sometimes the smallest act of love becomes the very thing that encourages somebody else to keep going.
So before today gets away from you, I want to challenge you.
Don’t just think about being kind.
Don’t just hope somebody knows you care.
And don’t assume somebody else will take care of it.
Consider one person.
Someone who could use a little encouragement.
Someone who needs to know they haven’t been forgotten.
Someone God has placed in your path.
Think about what love might look like for them today.
And then?
Do something.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
- Have you ever intended to encourage or help someone but never followed through? What kept you from acting?
- Who has demonstrated Christlike love to you through something they actually did? How did it affect you?
- What does it mean to intentionally consider how to encourage someone instead of simply waiting for an opportunity?
- How might one act of kindness inspire someone else to show love or generosity?
- Who is one person God has placed in your life who could use a tangible expression of love today?
QUESTION TO CARRY WITH YOU TODAY
Who have I been thinking about encouraging, and what can I actually do for them today?
