While preparing to lead a meeting for a Christian Ministry I am involved in, I was asked to present some plans for the coming year to the team. Going to a friend and mentor, I sought advice on how to go about laying out some projects to the group. I felt that I had some good ideas cooking and sensed God's leading.
This particular mentor is a phenomenal public speaker and he made certain I understood an important principle. No matter how fantastic an idea may be, it must be presented in a way that will allow everyone else to fully understand the plan and grasp its full meaning and implications. I needed them to envision the end results as I did. He said, "Even a bad plan, with the right presentation can sound like a good one." Citing examples and using visual aids allowed me to display the vision with clarity, and all agreed to accept my proposal. Instead of just telling the team the plan, I had to completely lay it out and show it to them.
No one exemplifies the concept of "showing" along with telling as well as our Heavenly Father. God's situation was, that He wanted to display the immensity of His awesome love for all mankind in a powerful way. Jesus tells us that there is no greater love to be found than that which would cause a man to lay down his life for his friends. He then did that very thing to pay the price for the sins that we have committed. Jesus went willingly to a cruel torturous death on a cross, because of God's great love for His children.
"But God demonstrated His own love for us in this: that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8 NIV
For thirty three years, Jesus walked this earth as a man, never once sinning. He spent His time showing and telling of God's love, how awesome it truly is. God's heart was on display as Jesus healed crowds of people from diseases, demon possession and blindness. He showed His love by feeding the multitudes. And His tender heart was displayed as He humbly washed the feet of His disciples. In my estimation, the life that our Lord lived is enough to prove a great love for mankind, but Jesus continued on, and went all the way, dying for the sins of the world. He then rose to life again so that we too can have eternal life with Him.
God does not just tell us; "I love You". He has clearly demonstrated that His love for all mankind is great.
"For God so love the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life."
John 3:16 KJV
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