Yes, of course it’s both! This tells us how warm it is in our family room, and tells the furnace to send more heat if it gets below the set temperature. How about you? Is there anything in your life that can be both a thermometer and a thermostat for your heart?
Can you tell how fired up your faith is, and if it’s getting cool, can you turn up the heat? I want to suggest an easy means to do both. This method is found in Hebrews 6:10-12.
For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do. Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true. Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance (NLT).
Did you catch that? Our relationship with God will express itself in our care for others. As we care for others, we keep our love for God alive and well instead of dull and indifferent!
Jesus said, “If you love me, obey my commandments” (Matthew 14:15 NLT), and then a little later he said, “This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you” (Matthew 15:12). Our level of care for one another is a thermometer for our spiritual health.
Take a moment and think about how and why you are showing love for others.
- Is your love just an emotion, an affinity for people just like you, or are you actively caring for the needs of others?
- Is what you’re doing for them done out of love for God, or are you looking for something in return down the road?
Matthew Henry wrote in his commentary on Hebrews 6, “No love is to be reckoned as love, but working love; and no works are right works, which flow not from love to Christ.”
Not only does our care for others show how brightly our hearts burn for God, but it actually fans the flames of our faith! There is something special about taking care of someone’s needs and knowing that God is working through you to touch their life. It doesn’t matter whether those needs are simple or great, God blesses you with a faith boost when you are obedient to His command to love.
How’s your temperature? Are you in need of a little more heat in your heart? Think about the people in your circles. What can you do? Who has a need that you can help with? Maybe you can’t completely meet their need on your own, but you might be able to do something small while others join you to take care of the rest. Reach out, and let God breathe on the fire of your faith!
Lauri Hawley 