"My children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth" (1 John 3:18). This Bible verse is often mentioned in conversations about love, and we have to agree with what is says. Yes, love cannot be reduced to nice and sentimental words, even to comforting and inspiring words. "The word of love must become flesh in a specific deed of love", wrote E. Stanley Jones. Divine love always acts on behalf of those who are loved.

And yet, when it comes to practical application of this powerful Truth, we need to be wise enough to understand that too much care for others could be as dangerous for their well-being as no care at all.

If we are trying to meet all needs and to solve all problems for a particular individual, we bring to him/her more harm than good. He/she may gradually become an undeveloped, irresponsible, self-centered person, carving for more assistance.

That's why the best help we can give to others is to teach them how they can help themselves by developing their unique gifts and talents and, which is more important, by building self-confidence and self-reliance.

Sometimes, when people ask us questions, the best answer would be: "Why don't you think about it yourself?"

Sometimes, when people ask us to do something for them, the best reaction would be, "Why don't you learn how to do it yourself?"

This brings us to a serious question: what is the gospel of Jesus, and how should we understand and apply it in order to receive the most benefit from it?

Unlike some of popular among Truth seekers ideas, the gospel is not merely an easy way to heal our troubles, to meet our needs, and to bring us to a state of peace and contentment. Indeed, it includes truths on healing, supply, and fulfillment - but those blessings were never meant to be our objectives. They are only side effects of living our lives according to universal laws. "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you" (Matthew 6:33). And one of the greatest and all-encompassing laws of our being is the law of growth.

It is natural for humans to reach up higher in desire to transcend themselves. We've been made to develop and unfold, and the gospel, rightly understood, is a challenge to grow, and to grow more abundantly - in all areas of our lives, from the deepest center to all of outward aspects of our existence. Not only the gospel is a challenge to grow - it reveals important principles by which we are able to cooperate with God in our evolutionary process.

The most important factor of growth, as we mentioned it before many times, is the realization that all the resources we need for further development can be found within ourselves. "All things are yours" (1 Corinthians 3:21). The other, no less significant factor, is practical use of those resources.

To grow, we need challenges to deal with.
To grow, we need problems to solve.
To grow, we need mountains to climb.
To grow, we need races to run.

Gospel is a challenge to realize that all our so-called difficulties are not something to avoid. Everything that happens with us, in some way, is meant for our progress. We are adequately equipped for any situation that could happen, no matter how appearances might look like.

Gospel is a call to stay awake and aware. Modern society, with all of its conveniences, can easily put a person into mental slumber, especially if he/she embraces a shallow spiritual system, and surrounds himself/herself by well-intended friends, always ready to help. There comes a dangerous illusion that there is nowhere to go. And if a sudden crisis comes, an individual may find himself/herself totally unprepared.

However, let not fear of possible troubles ever be our motivation. The call of Jesus is clear: "Do not be anxious about tomorrow". It is within our powers to live fully today, and to encourage others to live fully, so that by working here and now we could build more substantial and dependable foundation for our tomorrow.

Divine love never frees us from the responsibility to be the best persons we could be, and such should be our love toward others. As James Dillet Freeman wrote, "Love brings us into being and sends us forth into the world so that we may become all that we are capable of being".