The holiday season is approaching! As we prepare to enter into the start of the hustle and bustle, many of us begin to make our lists for the people we want to bless this Christmas with presents. We start to see the ads of all the latest products and gadgets and all the huge sales where we can save all sorts of money while we are spending money we don’t need to spend. In the midst of the craziness of this season though, do we notice those around us that are genuinely in need? Are we so focused on our own lists and purchases that we neglect to see the people nearby who need our help?

In the book of 1 John, the apostle John uses a lot of his writing time to reassure Christians of their faith and to provide them with actions they could look for that are evidence of that faith. He describes many ways that they could “know” that they had started a relationship with Christ.

“We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion–how can God’s love be in that person? Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.” 1 John 3:16-18

Real love is an action, not a feeling. Real love will produce selfless and sacrificial giving. A life of real love is shown to others by the evidence of serving others. It is seen when we serve others without the expectation of receiving anything in return. It is having an awareness of the needs of those around us. It is looking outside of ourselves and our inner circle to see how we can be a blessing to others.

As the holiday season approaches, look for ways to bless those in need. Ask for God to make you aware of those around you. Don’t be in such a hurry that you miss the times where someone is sharing their heart and their burdens. In the verse it says that “if someone has enough money to live well” then they should show compassion to others. For many of us, we are living “well.” God has blessed us and met our needs. What are we doing to show the love of Christ to others?

This blog was written by Amy Carrico.

Last Updated on December 4, 2025