1 John 3:18 (NLT)
18 Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each
other; let us show the truth by our actions.
There is a difference between words sweet to the ears and
sincere affection and actions or services of Love. As song writer Don Francisco
stated, “Love is not a feeling, it’s an act of your will.”
On September 30, 2013 Dwayne and Dawna Johnson of Buena
Vista, Colorado had the perfect day planned. The electrician and high school
football coach and his wife took their two teenage daughters on a day hike up a
popular mountain trail. But then the unthinkable happened: a rockslide barreled
down at them at a vantage point looking up on Agnes Vaille Falls.
Just before the cascading dirt and boulders swept Dwayne,
his wife, and their oldest daughter to their deaths, Dwayne made a decision
that saved the life of his 13-year-old daughter, Gracie. A few weeks after the
tragedy, Gracie said, "I did cover myself, but I was just standing in the
open. [My dad] pushed me to a rock that was bigger than I was, and he just
saved me." Sheriff's Deputy Nick Tolsma added, "[Gracie] said her dad
jumped on top of her to protect her right at the last moment when the rocks
were coming down."
Immediately after the rockslide, as rescue workers began
to search the area, they heard Gracie's voice coming from beneath the pile of
rocks that covered her. Deputy Tolsma eventually spotted Gracie's hand sticking
out from the rocks. No one in the town was surprised by Dwayne's act of
sacrificial love. As a family friend said, "He would have done the same
for any of our children, absolutely."
Just two days before the accident, Dwayne wrote to his
18-year-old daughter Kiowa-Rain, and encouraged her to "dream big,"
"develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ," and remember
that "deep, meaningful relationships bring happiness." Dwayne lived
out those words and the words of his Savior— "Greater love has no one than
this, that he lay down his life for his friends." [Catherine E. Shoichet,
Kyung Lah and Jack Hannah, "Colorado rock slide kills 5 members of one
family; teen survives," CNN (10-2-13)]
The heroic actions of a father saved his daughter, but
cost him his own life. Actions always speak louder than words. Imagine if the
father had just said “Move out of the way” instead of protecting his daughter.
Watch the actions of those around you. If they have good intentions towards you
it is love. If the intentions are bad then love is missing. A friend told me
once about a neighbor who showed up at his door. She had been beaten by her
husband. She kept saying over and over to my friend, “He says he loves me, but
what kind of love is this?” Obviously it
was not love, but misguided actions and false words.
No comments:
Post a Comment