Christ’s love for us and my love for Him is the secret to how we expend our energies, deploy our abilities, spend our time and yes, live our lives. Good works and faithful service flow from a heart that throbs with love for Christ.

Have you ever paused to reflect on how your priorities have shifted? The things that consume our attention today were barely a concern when our love for Christ was vibrant and unwavering. Back then, reading the Gospels thrilled our hearts. The accounts of His humiliation, suffering, and crucifixion once brought us to tears, yet now we read them with little emotion—no grief, no wonder, no awe. In those days, Christ was our greatest joy, and our deepest longing was to see others come to Him. But somewhere along the way, something changed. What happened?

There’s a direct link between our actions and deeds and what we love. There’s a strong correlation between our good works and our love for Christ. Declining good works and service are symptoms of a deeper love deficiency. Our diminishing devotion is reflected in our decreasing engagement in acts of kindness, serving others, and sharing the Gospel.

When our interests and energies are shifting, be sure of this: our love was the first to shift. That applies to marriage, my individual role as a Christian, and the New Testament gathering of local believers.

The message to the church at Ephesus was this:

But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first…” Revelation 2:4-5

When the church in Ephesus was young and new, it was on fire in its devotion to Christ. Love for Christ was the powerful motivating factor. The local church was vibrant, alive, and engaged; it was solid and sound in doctrine and busy in service and good works.

It was a powerful testament to the pagan world around them. Historically, pagans were awestruck by the early Christians’ gracious kindness and generous charity. While it was remarkable for Christians to defy societal norms by cherishing and raising all their own children—regardless of gender or ability—in a culture that abandoned unwanted infants and practiced infanticide, the most compelling proof of their faith lay elsewhere. It was found in their indiscriminate care and compassion for perishing pagans and their children.”

Are we known for just looking after our own? What society, fraternity or club doesn’t at least do that much? That’s no big claim to fame! Visiting our ‘own’ sick and dipping into our pockets to help our ‘own’ isn’t much of a testimony to the dark world around us. Such kindness is not exclusive to local fellowships of believers or individual Christians.

The most compelling evidence that we march to the beat of a different drummer is when our love for Christ moves us to reach out to our friends, coworkers, neighbours and the community with acts of kindness and works of compassion – showing them the love of Christ in shoe leather, not just preaching about it. The Scriptural formula is this:

{ Love for Christ (❤️) → { Good Works (💡) + Good Words (🗣) } = Authentic and Effective Testimony (✅) }

Are you wondering why things are different today – for yourself or the local church? Have you nostalgically mused on the glory days of the past and wondered where things veered off course for you? Have you ever made the connection between what you love and what you do? Perhaps your love and my love need to be rekindled and refocused.

Jesus told His disciples:

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” John 14:5

Embedded and implied in 2 Corinthians 5:4-5 is the truth that Christ’s love for us compels us to love others, resulting in acts and deeds that glorify God and honour Christ. Christ’s love for us and our love for Him is the secret to how we expend our energies, deploy our abilities, spend our time and, yes, live our lives.

Take a couple of minutes to quietly reflect on or even sing Isaac Watts’ beautiful old hymn:

When I survey the wondrous cross
on which the Prince of glory died,
my richest gain I count but loss,
and pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast
save in the cross of Christ, my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.

See, from His head, His hands, His feet,
sorrow and love flow mingled down.
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
that were an offering far too small.
Love so amazing, so divine,
demands my soul, my life, my all!