Love is a Verb

"Dear Children, let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth." -1 John 3:18

"Love is a verb. Love-the feeling-is the fruit of love the verb or our loving actions." -Dr. Stephen Covey

Something that has been on my heart recently with the whole debate of gay marriage is love. (Although this blog applies to so many other topics as well and the whole controversy itself has sparked many other things in my heart.) So many Christians I know responded to this debate with the cliche, "I can be against homosexuality and gay marriage and still love the person" or the "Love the sinner, hate the sin" mentality. While I believe that this is true and you can definitely do this, I must inquire what they believe love is. Here's what I think love is not. Love is not a thought. Love is not proud, rude, selfish, or easily angered. Love is not a feeling. Love doesn't just happen.

Here's what I believe love is...Love is a choice. Love is patient, kind, and does not boast.  Love protects, trusts and perseveres. Most of all, LOVE IS A VERB. It is an action. In the verse above, John spells it out beautifully. "Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth." Actions of love can be numerous things that include, but are not limited to, giving to someone in need (as the above verse is used in context), it may be standing up for your fellow brother and sister in Christ, it may be bridging a gap between people of different viewpoints, it may be spending time with someone to show that you care, or it may be doing unto them the best display of love you can, verbalizing the love of Jesus Christ to them. 

As the above quote says, the feeling of love is a fruit of our loving actions. I found this interesting as it implies that we do not act because of our feelings towards a person, but rather our actions induce our feelings.  Feel free to disagree with me, but I think that Dr. Covey is on pointe (although I realize he was not necessarily referring to Biblical love but rather romantic love).  

Here's the challenge for this blog...If you say you love someone, prove it.