“More Than Words”
Key Text: 1 John 3:18
Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.
There’s a popular song that speaks about love this way:
Sayin’ I love you
Is not the words I want to hear from you
It’s not that I want you
Not to say it, but if you only knew
How easy it would be to show me how you feel
More than words is all you have to do to make it real
Then you wouldn’t have to say that you love me
Cause I’d already know
I’m not sure how I feel about these lyrics. On the one hand, I think there are times when we can and should say “I love you” comfortably, boldly, honestly, unapologetically. On the other, there are times when mere words are not enough – actions have to speak louder than words.
Well, the apostle John never imagined that there would come a time when such a thing as radio would exist, beaming sentiments about love all around, twenty-four hours a day. He did, however, understand that at times actions should speak louder than mere words – regardless of how powerful some words can be.
In our walk of faith, as followers of Christ, we must love not just “in word and speech, but in truth and action.”
If we did more of this, more effectively, more often – there would be far fewer people in the world accusing Christians of being hypocrites.
So, don’t be afraid to say “I love you” when it is appropriate to say so.
Don’t be afraid to show it either – so there is no question that what you have said is true.
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By Paul Simrell
The Reverend Paul W. Simrell has served for over thirty years in a variety of congregational and institutional settings. He is a recognized minister with standing in the Virginia region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada and is nationally endorsed by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) for specialized ministry in both pastoral counseling and chaplaincy. Ordained in 1982, he has served congregations in Kentucky, Texas, Florida, and Virginia. He currently serves as the pastor of Elpis Christian Church, a small, historic congregation located just a few miles west of Richmond, Virginia. Elpis is the Greek word meaning “expectant hope.” He also serves on the associate clinical staff of the Virginia Institute of Pastoral Care, Richmond, Virginia, both as a pastoral counselor and a ministerial assessment specialist, specializing in executive, clergy and relationship coaching. He is a graduate of the University of Florida and Lexington Theological Seminary and has done advanced clinical training in chaplaincy and pastoral counseling at the University of Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky, Children’s Medical Center and Parkland Hospital in Dallas, Texas and the Virginia Institute of Pastoral Care in Richmond, Virginia. He is a Certified Pastoral Counselor, an ACPE Practitioner, and a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors. He is a Certified Facilitator of the Prepare-Enrich relationship assessment and skills-building program and served as a volunteer chaplain for over twenty years with the CJW Medical Center campuses in Richmond, Virginia. His avocational interests include playing the piano and drawing. He is very happily married to his wife Elizabeth Yeamans Simrell, a free-lance writer, who is also a Certified Facilitator for the Prepare-Enrich program.
Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton
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