Stop Slamming the Door!

           I John 3:17-18 (ESV)

 “But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.”

Years ago while accompanying Dr. Quinton Earl Hammonds on a preaching engagement, he said to me, “Stop slamming my door please!” Dr. Hammonds drove an older model Mercedes Benz that required one to slowly push the door up to the door frame and it would automatically fasten the door shut tight. He said what he said to me after about the fourth time of slamming his car door!

On that particular day, I learned that slamming my Pastor’s door invoked his displeasure towards me and so I stopped slamming his door from that day forward. Friends, we might not be guilty of slamming car doors, but maybe we’re equally guilty of slamming our hearts towards those who had legitimate needs. Whether those needs were material or otherwise.

The Apostle John in I John 3:11-19 provides evidence of authentic love for God through practical demonstrations of love towards others, especially those who are brothers and sisters in Christ. The Apostle John said if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against them, how does the love of God abide in him? John used the word “closes”and the word conveys in the Greek the the idea of slamming the door, locking it and throwing away the key. To be aware of the material, physical, emotional and spiritual needs of others and fail to meet them is to slam the door of our hearts, lock it and throw away the key. Godly love doesn’t slam the door on the legitimate needs of others. Rather true love acts on the needs of others. To verbalize love but not demonstrate love in tangible ways calls into question authentic relationship with God!

The Apostle John equated true relationship with and love for God with practical demonstrations of love towards those in need. When the door of opportunity is given to meet the legitimate needs of others, John exhorts Christians not to slam the doors of their hearts. Whatever you do, please don’t slam the door of your heart moving forward!

God help me to stop slamming the door of my heart towards those that are needy, Amen!

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