A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. John 13:34-35

  Mark and I were on one of our morning walks on the edge of town when we heard an unusual sound. “Did you hear that?” I asked. “It sounds like a turkey.” Mark looked up a huge elm tree and responded, “That’s no turkey, look.” He pointed up into the tree and there sat a huge blackbird making the noise we heard. Now I know what a turkey sounds like because there is a flock of wild turkeys that live south of our home. We see them in the adjacent field next to our home or hear them once in a while. I told Mark that I could feel a column coming on.

  God often uses the unusual to get my attention. For a couple of weeks I thought about the topic of my Thanksgiving column and now as I heard the bird noises God brought a Biblical truth to mind. I thought it rather ironic He would use the sound of a turkey so close to Thanksgiving.

  Are all people who profess to be Christians truly Christians or are they only an imitator of the real thing? It is true that they may know the proper lingo and all of the pat answers to the questions asked of them, but are they really Christians? Do they give of themselves and their resources? One common answer of so-called Christians is their family were all Christians so that must make them a Christian as well. Other answers include good works or even church attendance makes a person a Christian.

  In Matthew 7:13-14,16 Jesus said, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Ye shall know them by their fruits...” 

  I know some people who say they are a Christian but their lives definitely do not reflect it. They are only out for themselves and what they can get out of life. They have no regard for the other person. There is no outward signs, no fruit in their lives. Jesus continued to speak about good fruit in Matthew 7. In verse 21 He states, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven”. 

  So what is the fruit of the spirit? In Galatians 5:22-23 Paul has this to say, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law”. 

  As we are entering into the holiday season there will be people who need help and there will be opportunities to provide that help. By helping those in need it as though we are doing it for Jesus. Jesus said in Matthew 25:40, “…Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me”.

  How much love do we have for those around us? It is easy to say we love others as we sit in our comfortable seat at church, but our actions prove that love to the world. Contact your church, Ministry of Hope, or St. Vincent de Paul for opportunities to show your love for others.

  Once again this year, First Baptist Church is hosting a community-wide Thanksgiving dinner from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. This free dinner is for anyone who wishes to attend. I am so blessed every year by the number of people who provide food or work to put on this dinner.

  Why would people prepare and serve a meal for someone they don’t even know? Why would people work sorting clothes or helping at one of the local ministries? They do it because they love the Lord and each other.

  Just like that blackbird in the tree, people can say all sorts of things, professing to be Christians, and just talking the talk. The true test of loving one another is evident in our actions? Now, what do you plan to do?