1 Timothy 1:5 — The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith.
Is there a smell that can take you back to a certain place in an instant?
Maybe it’s your mama’s cooking.
Freshly baked bread.
Or something simmering on the stove.
For me?
It’s donuts.
And not just any donuts.
I’m talking about the homemade kind, fried fresh and served warm.
You see, when I was growing up, my grandma had a Halloween tradition that was a little different from everybody else’s.
While the neighbors were handing out little pieces of chocolate and hard candy, Grandma was standing on her front porch with an electric frying pan.
Making donuts.
Yes. You heard that right.
Fresh, homemade donuts.
Right there on the porch.
And let me tell you, the neighborhood kids knew exactly which house to visit.
They lined up for those donuts.
And so did their parents.
Because apparently, even grown-ups will abandon all dignity when a warm donut is involved.
And I can’t say I blame them!
But here’s what I remember most.
Grandma wasn’t doing anything fancy.
She wasn’t hosting some big event.
She was simply sharing something she loved making with the people around her.
And somehow, all these years later, I can still picture that porch.
I can still imagine the smell.
And I can still remember how special she made everyone feel.
Years later, when my two nieces started spending the night with me, we created our own little donut tradition.
The next morning, we’d get up and make homemade donuts together.
Now, I don’t know if they loved the donuts more or just loved being together.
But I know those mornings became something special to all three of us.
So special, in fact, that anytime I saw something with donuts on it while shopping for their birthdays or Christmas, you can bet I was buying it.
Donut pajamas?
Absolutely.
Something with a donut printed on it?
Into the shopping cart.
Because those silly little donuts had become a reminder of something much bigger.
Love.
Family.
Time spent together.
You know, these days I’ve heard people are putting all kinds of things on donuts.
Ham.
Cream cheese.
Fancy toppings I never would have imagined.
And hey, if that’s your thing, go right ahead.
But I’ve decided the best part of a donut has never been what’s on top.
It’s who you’re sharing it with.
And that makes me think about something Paul wrote to Timothy.
In 1 Timothy 1:5, he explains that the purpose of his instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith.
Think about that.
With all the things Paul could have emphasized, he wanted Timothy to understand that the goal was love.
Not just knowing the right answers.
Not simply looking like a good Christian.
But becoming the kind of person whose faith is genuine and whose love flows from a heart being changed by Jesus.
And here’s what I find so beautiful about that.
Love doesn’t always have to be something big.
It doesn’t always require a lot of money.
Or a perfectly planned moment.
Sometimes, love looks like an electric frying pan on a front porch.
Sometimes, it looks like two sleepy nieces making donuts after a sleepover.
Sometimes, it’s a cup of coffee with a friend, a phone call to someone who’s lonely, or an extra place at your dinner table.
Little things.
Ordinary moments.
But when they’re offered with genuine love, they have a way of staying with people.
I doubt my grandma ever imagined that decades later I’d still be talking about those Halloween donuts.
She probably just wanted to make the neighborhood kids smile.
But that’s the thing about love.
You don’t always know how far a small act of kindness will travel.
Sometimes, it travels all the way from a grandmother’s front porch into the hearts of another generation.
And maybe that’s worth thinking about today.
You don’t have to do something extraordinary to show someone the love of Jesus.
You just have to be willing to love the people God puts in front of you.
Because when Christ changes your heart, that love has a way of finding its way into everyday life.
And sometimes?
It smells a whole lot like homemade donuts.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
- What smell, food, or family tradition reminds you of someone who showed you love?
- Who has made a lasting difference in your life through a seemingly small act of kindness?
- In 1 Timothy 1:5, Paul connects love with a pure heart, clear conscience, and genuine faith. How do those qualities work together?
- Have you ever underestimated the impact of something simple you did for someone else?
- What ordinary opportunity do you have today to show someone the love of Jesus?
QUESTION TO CARRY WITH YOU TODAY
What small act of love could I offer today that someone might remember for years to come?
