Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

I John 3:18 ESV

I finished writing a short story last week. It is the first fiction I’ve written in quite a long time, and the process was much harder than penciling a journal entry, composing a ridiculous poem, or blasting off something that might constitute an essay.

The words running through my mind during the writing? Show, don’t tell. As Anton Chekhov reportedly said, “Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.” When a writer “shows” effectively, the words jump off the page and stand as if alive, allowing the reader to become swallowed up entirely in the action and the flow of a story. Adjectives and narrative aren’t that necessary; rather, good “showing” is more dependent upon character dialogue, concrete nouns, and action verbs.

We should live our lives the same way: with action, by expressing our love through both our words and our deeds. Save your thoughts and prayers for your quiet time.  

When people are lonely, show up with a chicken casserole, a tub of chocolate ice cream, or some homegrown tomatoes. When you want to express thanks, send a card with a handwritten message. When a co-worker is doing their very best to scrape through the day, pick up one of their jobs. When your kid has had a rough day, curl up with them and watch their favorite movie, even if it’s the fiftieth time you’ve seen it.

Lighten the load. Take time to listen. Have some good dialogue, but offer advice only when requested. 

And since I’m now telling and not showing, I need to take a lesson from myself.

Just know that this isn’t fiction. It’s the truth.

Prayer: Father, help us love others through our actions.