Love is a verb

Let Us Love in Deed and in Truth

Since I've been studying on love, I decided to look up the meaning of love in the online dictionary. I was a little disturbed by what I found. Most of the results listed described love as a feeling or emotion. Does this mean that if I don't have warm feelings towards someone that I can choose not to love them? If I am basing my love on my feelings and emotions, then I would say yes to the aforementioned question.

The world's definition of love and God's definition of love are totally opposite to one another. God tells us that love is the manner in which we behave toward someone. It is not "tingles and goosebumps" but rather an action that flows from our heart. Love is a behavior. 1 Corinthians 13 tells us how love (God's love) behaves. Love is patient. Love is kind. Love does not envy. Love is not conceited... It doesn't say anything about feelings or emotions. True love transcends our feelings and emotions.

It is no wonder that the divorce rate in America is over 50% if we are living by the world's standards of love. If love is a feeling and emotion, then eventually I am not going to be "in love" with someone because they will end up doing something that will cause my feelings toward them to sour at times. Too many times marriages are based on lust instead of love. They are based on how that person makes me "feel" when we are together.

When I examine love in the Bible, I see that it is always followed by an action. "by love serve one another." "Love your enemies, do good to them..." "If you love Me, then keep my commandments."This tells me that love is an action and not simply a feeling.

"...if anyone has this world's goods and sees his brother and fellow believer in need, yet closes his heart of compassion against him, how can the love of God live and remain in him? Little children, let us not love (merely) in theory or in speech but in deed and in truth." (1 John 3:17 Amplified version)

When we see our brother or sister in need, it is not enough to say, "I'll pray for you," if we have the means to meet the need. To do so would negate the love of God in our lives. During this Christmas season especially, it is important that we not shut up our bowels of compassion. If we see someone in need, we need to share with them as the Lord leads. Isn't that what Christmas is about anyways? We need to keep Christmas in our hearts, not just in December, but all throughout the year.

"Do not love or cherish the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in Him." (1 John 2:15). When we begin loving the "things" of the world--the houses and cars and the "bling bling," then we have left the love for our Father. Why is this? Because when you begin to love the "things," they receive your worship and affection and God becomes second place in your life. This world is eventually going to be burned up and all the "things" in it. So isn't it vanity to strive for "things" that are only temporal and fleeting?

"But he/she who does the will of God and carries out His purposes in his life abides (remains) forever." (1 John 2:17b) What is God's purpose for our lives? It is two-fold. First, it is that we would love Him above all else; and secondly, that we would love others even as we love ourselves. Our purpose in life is to be conformed to the image of Christ--Who was the manifestation of God's love. He loved us in that He lay down His life for us. He loved us not only in word, but in deed and in truth. Let us begin to follow His example.