How Can We Show God's Love?
Yesterday, my husband, Vandy, started a new sermon series in preparation for our Christmas celebration. The message was simple: How Can We Show God's Love? Christ loved us, and we ought to share this love with others especially to the unbelievers. Christmas should never be separated from the purpose of Jesus coming into the world. He came so we can know God’s love and share this love with those around us.
As Christians, we represent the Savior through our actions, our responses, our words, and even our character. Sometimes people will experience Jesus not through a sermon, not through a Bible study, but through a meal we share, a visit we make, or a simple act of kindness that reflects His heart.
David's Brownies being sold at 66 Coffee
Vandy shared a story that moved many of us. It was about a friend we knew many years ago, someone who owns a small coffee shop near our previous apartment. Back then, we would stop by her shop, order a drink, exchange smiles, talk about life in simple ways. But like many friendships, distance and time created a natural space. Life moved on. But God had a plan to reconnect that friendship.
And He chose a very unexpected bridge.
Our son’s brownies.
David’s Brownies and a Reconnected Friendship
As many of you know, our son David has mild autism. Parenting a child with special needs has taught us many things about love, patience, and faith. There are challenges, yes, but God has used David’s life to bless others in ways we cannot always explain. David loves to bake brownies. He loves to create. And recently, he started a small brownie business. It is a simple home project, something he enjoys doing, and something that has opened unexpected doors for connection.
Last week, we reached out again to our old friend who owns the coffee shop. It started with us sending her a bottled spaghetti sauce that my sister-in-law Kunthy made. We told her we were planning to sell it, and she grew curious. She then told us she wanted to taste it, so we invited her to visit us during the Water Festival holidays.
Usually during the Water Festival, many families travel. But this year, we felt led to stay home. We did not know exactly why, but sometimes the Holy Spirit leads us to slow down and remain still. We thought it might be a chance to rest. But God had a divine appointment prepared.
She came to visit.
Not just her.
Her whole family came.
Her husband and their teenage son and daughter.
It was such a joy to see them again. The laughter, the catching up, the warm atmosphere in our front yard - pasta shop reminded us how simple gatherings can be a blessing. They loved the spaghetti my sister-in-law prepared. And of course, they loved David’s brownies.
What surprised them most was discovering that David himself is the one baking and selling those brownies. Their faces lit up. They were amazed. They encouraged him. They praised him. It was a proud moment not only for David but for us as parents who have journeyed through many years of learning, praying, and trusting God for his growth.
They loved the brownies so much that last week, they decided to resell them at her coffee shop. And to our surprise, the brownies became a favorite among little children studying at the school next door. We could not help but smile. God can use even a small brownie to open hearts, strengthen connections, and build bridges for the gospel.
But the reconnection was not only for business. God had a deeper purpose.
👉When was the last time you shared the Gospel with someone?
👍5 Steps to Effectively Share the Gospel
🙏Pray, Care, Share
A Quiet Cry for Help
As we talked that day, we learned something we never knew before. She shared her health struggles with us. Even though we had known her for several years, she had never opened up like this. Only now, after reconnecting again, did she feel safe enough to share.
She told us she had been in pain. She was feeling heavy, overwhelmed, and emotionally drained. Her mother passed away months ago, and she was still grieving. She had been carrying this pain alone.
Sometimes, people we meet every day look strong outside but are quietly breaking inside. God sees that. And sometimes He sends people not to judge, not to preach immediately, but simply to care.
We felt led to help her, not because we wanted something in return, and not because we wanted to share the gospel right away. We wanted to show her what God’s love looks like without any words yet. So last Saturday, we blocked our morning to take her to our trusted doctor.
In the car, as we traveled together, something beautiful happened. We shared stories. We talked about life and family. We learned about her childhood. She learned about ours. She discovered that we are Christians, and she smiled. She told us it made her happy to know that.
The doctor later diagnosed her with depression. It made sense. She had been grieving, stressing over her shop, worrying about life, and trying to stay strong for her family.
To be present with her during that moment felt like a privilege. Sometimes ministry is not loud. Sometimes it is not a big program, a big event, or a big sermon. Sometimes ministry is sitting beside someone, going with them to the clinic, driving them home, or letting them cry in a safe space.
We are praying that as we continue meeting with her, God will open the door for us to share the gospel. Not in a hurry. Not forcefully. Not in a way that feels heavy. But in a gentle, natural, and loving way. Because that is how it works in Cambodian culture. You build relationships first. You listen. You understand. And when the heart becomes ready, the seed of the gospel finds good soil.
We have started praying for Bong Srey Sokunthea and her family. We pray that someday, by God’s grace, they will understand the gospel and receive Christ as Lord.
A reflection on 1 Corinthians 13 and the quiet ways God shows His love through everyday life
If someone asks us what love looks like, we often go back to moments that made us feel cared for. A memory. A person. A simple gesture. A season in life that touched our hearts. It is different for each of us.
But when we open the Bible and sit with 1 Corinthians 13, we see something deeper. Something steady. Something unchanging. Something that does not depend on emotion, circumstances, or how people treat us. The Bible gives us a picture of love that is clear, honest, and true.
Love is patient. Love is kind. Love is not proud. Love keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
These are words we have heard many times, but God continues to bring them to life in ways we do not expect. Sometimes through our families. Sometimes through strangers. Sometimes through the people God brings back into our lives after many years. And sometimes through our own, quiet obedience when we simply follow where the Holy Spirit leads.
In our home and in our ministry here in Phnom Penh, God has been teaching us what love looks like in a very simple but powerful way. He has been connecting us with people we once knew, opening new opportunities to serve, and reminding us that love is shown not only through what we preach, but through the lives we live every single day.
This past week, as I reflected on 1 Corinthians 13, God allowed us to experience His Word in action once again.
What Does Love Really Look Like?
When I reflected on the devotion this week, especially the question “What does love look like?” I realized that the Bible has already given us the clearest picture.
But 1 Corinthians 13 does not only tell us what love is.
It invites us to live it out.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
Love protects.
Love trusts.
Love hopes.
Love never gives up.
It is easy to talk about love, but harder to live it.
It is easy to love people who are kind to us, but harder to love people who are difficult.
It is easy to rejoice when someone we love is blessed, but harder when the person who once hurt us succeeds.
It is easy to say “Jesus loves you,” but harder to show that love through action.
The real test of love is not found in good times.
It is found when life becomes inconvenient.
When sacrifices are required.
When patience is needed.
When forgiveness must be given even when the heart still feels pain.
And in our journey as parents to a child with autism, God constantly teaches us what love looks like. Love is patience when routines fall apart. Love is kindness when meltdowns happen. Love is gentleness when communication becomes slow and challenging. Love is not easily angered when progress seems small. Love is hope when doctors or therapists say slow improvement. Love is trust when the future feels uncertain.
God has shown His love for us by carrying us through every season, every challenge, and every fear. And now, as God allows David’s brownies to become a small blessing to others, we see His love shining through in the most unexpected places.
Love Rejoices with the Truth
When the Bible says love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth, it means that true love does not enjoy seeing others fall or suffer. Love does not celebrate someone’s pain or failure. Love does not smile when someone gets what we think they “deserve.” Love does not ignore someone simply because they used to be difficult.
Love rejoices when truth is told.
When truth is lived.
When truth is shared.
So when someone difficult finally hears the gospel, we rejoice.
When someone who once lived in darkness begins to understand the truth of God’s love, we rejoice.
When someone hurting finds peace in Christ, we rejoice.
When forgiveness is given and relationships are restored, we rejoice.
In our friend’s story, we saw how God can use even the simplest things to open doors. A brownie. A bottle of spaghetti sauce. A casual visit. A small conversation. A quiet morning spent at a clinic. God uses these small steps to guide hearts toward His truth.
Learning to Love God’s Way
Today, I want to invite you to reflect with me:
How is your definition of love different from God’s definition?
What habits or thoughts can we let go of so we can love better?
Who is God leading you to connect with or reconnect with again?
Maybe it is a neighbor.
Maybe it is a family member.
Maybe it is someone who has been avoiding you for years.
Maybe it is someone who needs help but is afraid to ask.
Maybe it is someone who needs Jesus but has never heard His love spoken gently.
Ask God to show you their names.
Write two or three people in your prayer journal.
Pray for them daily this week.
Ask God to open doors.
Ask God to prepare their hearts.
Ask God to fill your life with His love so it overflows naturally.
Sometimes we wonder if love can really make a difference.
But the truth is, real love always leaves a mark.
Real love remains.
Real love draws people closer to God.
Real love softens hard hearts.
Real love heals wounds.
Real love opens doors for the gospel.
Final Encouragement
As we continue serving in Cambodia, ministering to couples, singles, young professionals, and families, we are reminded again that God works through relationships. He works through our homes. He works through simple meals. He works through the small businesses we build. He works through the stories we share. He works through our children, even through their challenges.
We do not need to be perfect.
We only need to be available.
We only need to be willing.
We only need to love the way God teaches us to love.
May this devotion remind you today that love is more than emotion. It is action. It is truth. It is compassion. It is obedience. It is the heart of Christ living through us.
So let us love well.
Love gently.
Love truthfully.
Love patiently.
Love bravely.
And let us pray that God will continue to use even our small acts of love to bring people closer to Him.
The Hourngs 💕😅🙏
👉When was the last time you shared the Gospel with someone?
👍5 Steps to Effectively Share the Gospel
🙏Pray, Care, Share
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