If a man does not exercise his arms, he develops no bicep muscles and if a man
does not exercise his soul, he acquires no muscle in his soul, no strength of character, no vigor of moral fiber, nor beauty of spiritual growth. Love is not a thing of enthusiastic
emotion. It is a rich, strong, vigorous expression of the whole round Christian character -- the Christ-like nature in its fullest development. This great character is only built up by ceaseless practice.
In today's world, wracked by terrorism, poverty,
lawlessness, disease, and violence, the message of the gospel
and the need for Christians who put their faith into action has
never been more acute. We, the followers of Jesus Christ, are
an integral part of God's plan for the world -- the same world
that God loved so much -- "that he gave his one and only son,
that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have
everlasting life" (John 3:16). In this famous verse we see the
depth of God's love for our world. It was not a passive and sentimental love but rather a dynamic, active, and sacrificial love.
For God so loved the world that he acted!