DAILY READING
REFLECTION
A Good Deed or an Act of Love?
by Judy Webb
If you ever wonder just what love really is, you only need to read 1 John 3:16. "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters." (1 John 3:16)
Recently I viewed a video online depicting a car on the side of the road engulfed in flames. Passing motorists jumped from the safety of their own vehicles to work to pry open the door of the burning car. The flames were getting intense, and this was obviously a life and death situation. At least six strangers put their own lives on the line to rescue the driver. After repeated attempts to break the window and being driven back by the raging blaze, they finally shattered the glass. And then they pulled the driver through the opening to safety.
Was this love or an instinctive action or maybe answered prayer? Was it a good deed or an act of love? “In my distress I called to the Lord: I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him into his ears." (Psalm 18:6)
We ask the same questions for the actions of the Good Samaritan. Love or instinct? We don’t know if the brave men and women who saved the stranger from certain death were Christian or not. But something was guiding them, something was encouraging them to keep trying to save the man’s life. A good deed, or an act of love?
There is much we could write about both incidents. We could question if they had a faith, and that was the reason for the bravery. We could acknowledge that perhaps someone was praying for the situation as they feverishly worked to free the victim. Or maybe one or more of these passersby experienced a similar situation, and the memory motivated their selfless love expressed to a stranger.
But it all boils down to “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:27) What do you say, a good deed or an act of love?
PRAYER
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for acts of love which you encourage us to do. Help us be open and willing to step up when our neighbor needs serious help. Give us courage to love our neighbor. Amen.
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