Putting Love into Action

In my February Substack post, I explored how as Christians, we can be committed to the work of living out radical love. But what does that look like on a practical level?

When we consider ways to love others, a few options are top-of-mind, such as spending quality time together or putting money toward meeting people’s needs. While those are certainly important, today I’m offering a few slightly less conventional—but still actionable—ways to love others. 

Exchange Ideals for Acceptance

In western evangelicalism, we’re often taught that loving others requires asking them to conform to our ideals and ways of life. But what if those ideals need to change, not the people we’re trying to love? What if releasing our beliefs about what makes others worthy of love is, in itself, loving them?

I understand the hesitation that comes with putting people above our ideals, especially when we’ve been told believing the “right” things is even more important than our actions. However, choosing to accept people—to love and see them for the fullness of who they are—is perhaps the most loving act of all.

Go to Therapy

While seeing a mental health professional certainly benefits us personally, those benefits extend to the people around us. Becoming more emotionally healthy, processing through our trauma, and honoring our own limitations all enable us to show up for others in healthy, self-aware ways.

Challenge Others’ Harmful Comments or Beliefs

In our polarized society, the number of hateful comments and beliefs being spread is rapidly increasing. Marginalized people—the ones Jesus speaks so passionately about loving—are being harmed and dehumanized at an alarming rate. And sadly, many Christians are participating in this harm.

While it’s intimidating to challenge people, especially those with whom we regularly interact, speaking up against hate is a critical way to demonstrate care for others. This confrontation doesn’t need to be hostile, but a well-placed “What do you mean by that?” or “I’m not comfortable with the use of degrading language to describe other people” can both shut down hateful comments and cause the speaker to consider why they were using such language.

Listen to Understand 

Few things make me feel as loved as when someone listens to my perspectives with no ulterior motive. And yet, I often find myself listening to react rather than to know the other person and their experiences more fully. In seeking to put our love into action, may we check our agendas at the door and empathetically listen to understand.