LOVE IS A VERB

Hi! We have officially entered the month of love. The month full of heart shaped boxes, chocolate covered strawberries, and valentines. Some people love it and some people have gag reflexes just thinking about it. I wanted to take this month to really dig deep into what love is, what it looks like, and who it is. I am personally a huge fan of romance novels and cheesy romantic movies; I’m always down for a good love story. But the greatest love stories, are also some of the oldest. The greatest love stories and greatest examples of love are all wrapped up in the amazing stories of the Bible.

For many, love is kind words that fill up the heart. Love is a dozen roses and a sweet card. While love can be found in sweet words and gifts, love is actually a verb. Love isn’t just a verb though, it’s the greatest, most powerful, all encompassing verb. But not even the greatest Nicholas Sparks novels can show us what love truly looks like. The only way to find the true definition of love is through the greatest book of all. The Bible. These biblical characters show us what love truly looks like, and they not only show it through their words, but through their actions.

Take Ruth for example.

She shows how love is selfless.

After the death of her husband, she was forced to make a decision to return back to her people and their idols or continue to live with her mother-in-law and follow God. While Ruth’s sister-in-law made the selfish (and easiest) decision to return home, Ruth followed after Naomi and made the selfless (and much harder) decision. This is exactly what love looks like. Love is putting other’s above yourself when it isn’t easy. Ruth could have easily left Naomi to go home and find a new husband, but instead she stayed behind to work in the fields and mourn with Naomi. Ruth didn’t just say she loved Naomi, she showed her.

But Ruth replied “Don’t urge me to leave you or turn back from you. Where you go I will go, where you stay I will stay…” RUTH 1:16

Joseph was another prime example of what love looks like.

He shows that love comes through faithfulness and perseverance.

Joseph was put in an extremely difficult situation when Mary became pregnant by the Holy Spirit to have Jesus. Joseph (being a fleshy man) was going to divorce Mary quietly and slip away being afraid of what people would think of him. After an Angel appeared in his dream, Joseph decided to take Mary home as his wife and become Jesus’s earthly Father. Because Joseph loved God, Mary, and Jesus he took his family to Judea, Egypt, and later Nazareth. He not only showed Mary that he loved her, but he showed God that he loved him and had faith in his great plan. Joseph did not give up when the going got tough, but stuck right by Mary’s side. Every command God gave to Joseph he did immediately without question or hesitation. Joseph demonstrated his faithfulness through his actions and his love through his faithfulness.

“When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife” MATTHEW 1:24

Another example of love is found through The Parable of the Lost Son.

The Father shows his love through forgiveness.

In the story the Father gives his younger son half of his estate and the son goes and blows it all. As the famine comes across the land, the Son decides to return home knowing his Father will be disappointed. While the Father must of been very disappointed with his sons actions, he greeted him with open arms when he returned home. The Father showed his younger son great compassion and forgiveness. The Father showed the son how much he loved him by not only embracing him with a warm hug, but throwing a feast for him. The Father made the choice to not be bitter with his son or hold a grudge against him, but he loved his younger son and showed him this through forgiving him.

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet” LUKE 15:22

Jesus is however the prime example of love.

Jesus shows that love comes through sacrifice.

Jesus loved every single person he met. He performed miracles all around the world and continually spread God’s love for us. But how do we really know that Jesus loves us? His greatest example of love is when he gave up his own life to give us eternal life. Jesus was accused and hung on a wooden cross that he did not whatsoever deserve. His nail scarred hands and final breath show us just how much he loves us. Jesus sacrificed his entire life because he loved us. Not only does this show us Jesus’s love for us, but it shows us God’s love for us. God gave up his one and only Son just because he loved us. He gave up his perfect son for us sinners. That is so hard to comprehend. I can’t think of a better definition of love than that moment.

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this While we were still sinners Christ died for us ROMANS” 5:8

Love is a verb.

Love is selflessness.

It’s putting the people you care about before yourself with no benefit. It’s taking yourself off the pedestal and putting God upon it.

Love is faithfulness and perseverance.

It’s not giving up when the going gets tough. It’s being in a season of despair and believing that God’s plan is greater. It’s choosing not to complain but to find the joy of the Lord.

Love is forgiveness.

It’s accepting that people make mistakes and learning how to forgive them.

Love is sacrifice.

It’s about giving up your time for others and more importantly for God.

This month love is especially in the air, but it should be shown everyday of our lives. The cards and flowers will all come and go, but actions overflowing out of love will last forever. The Notebook and The Best of Me may be some of my favorite love stories but they will never encompass the depth of love that these biblical characters pursue. I promise no Hallmark movie will ever be able to portray the love that Christ displayed on the cross. Stop telling people you love them and start showing them. But not only with people but with God . Love is not just simply saying you love God, but showing Him that you Love him.