Love sometimes looks a little funny, sometimes looks like hate, but look again

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Jim, Jack, and Joe were walking down an old dirt road one evening. They noticed John about 50 meters away walking down the old railroad tracks. John had his head down and, as usual, a large set of headphones blasting music.

Jim saw a train approaching in the distance and feared for John's life. He determined he could not run and push John off the tracks before the train arrived, so he picked up a rock and threw it at him. He missed!

Jack was furious. "Why are you throwing rocks at John? You could hurt him."

"I'm trying to get him off the tracks before the train comes," answered Jim.

Jack didn't believe in trains. He had seen a few but didn't believe they were real. He yelled at Jim again, as Jim picked up another rock, "You train people, you're all so hateful. Leave him alone, he has a right to walk down those tracks." 

Jim missed John again, but this time Joe gives Jim what for, "Really, Jim, trains don't come on this track anymore. Leave him alone, he's not hurting anyone."

Jim retorted, "The train is coming and the engineer is going to be traumatized for life after running over John."

Jim picks up another rock and hits John in the ribs. John screamed in pain and looked for his assailant. He finally spotted Jim waving frantically and pointing to the approaching train. John jumps clear of the tracks just in time to keep from being pulverized.

Jack didn't see the train nearly run over John because he was so mad he left as soon as Jim hit John with the rock. 

Now, the question is - which one loved John? Which one was full of hate? 

Love, in the Bible, seldom refers to feeling or emotions, but is more often an action verb. Loving someone, like your neighbour, involves making sure they have something to drink when they are thirsty, something to eat when hungry, something to wear when they are naked, and a place to stay when they are homeless.

Love also requires the truth to be spoken when someone is walking blindly down the wrong path. It requires that we warn people going the wrong way that there are consequences. Encouraging people who are rebelling against God means their blood will be on your hands on Judgement Day. 

There will be a Judgement Day! It's coming down the tracks whether you can see it, or hear it, or not. Will you warn others as love commands?

GWM