“But does not the Apostle [Paul] direct us to ‘follow after charity’ And does he not term it ‘a more excellent way.’ He does direct us to ‘follow after charity;’ but not after that alone. His words are, ‘follow after charity;’ and ‘desire spiritual gifts.’ (1 Corinthians 14:1) Yea, ‘follow after charity;’ and desire to spend and to be spent for your brethren. ‘Follow after charity;’ and as you have opportunity do good to all men.”
John Wesley (1703-1791) Anglican minister in “Upon Our Lord’s Sermon On The Mount: Discourse Four” Sermon 24.3.3, delivered in October 1740.
Wesley rightly argues the social aspect of Christianity in this sermon: that we have been made alive in Christ to spend ourselves and to be spent for others. People can’t see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven if our faith secludes us from society (cf. Matthew 5:16).
As Wesley suggests elsewhere in this sermon, let us retreat each evening and morning to sit with Lord and experience renewal and refreshment and then, empowered by the Holy Spirit, let us desire to spend and to be spent for others by doing good as we have opportunity.