In a Christian believer love sits upon the throne which is erected in the inmost soul; namely, love of God and man, which fills the whole heart, and reigns without a rival. In the circle near the throne are all holy tempers: —longsuffering, gentleness, fidelity, temperance: and if any other were comprised in “the mind which was in Christ Jesus.” In an exterior circle are all the works of mercy, whether to the souls or bodies of [people]. Next to these are those that are usually termed works of piety:—reading and hearing the word, public, family, private prayer, receiving the Lord’s Supper, fasting or abstinence. Lastly, that his followers may the more effectually provoke one another to love, holy tempers, and good works, our blessed Lord has united them together in one body, the Church.

—Sermon 92, On Zeal, 7.60

Notice the grand synthesis here in Wesley’s sermon. Works of mercy and works of piety are inextricably bound together. You can’t have one without the other and together, both produce the holy temper (inclination) to love. If you try to separate works of piety from works of mercy, you will produce a social activist who is not well-grounded and can get lost in his or her activism. If you separate works of mercy from works of piety, you will become an introverted navel-gazer who ignores getting about the business of kingdom work that is expected of every Christian.

How are you doing in these areas?