“God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him won’t perish but will have eternal life.” John 3:16 (CEB)
God is love (1 John 4:8). God’s love causes him to take action. We were created out of the overflow of God’s love. After the fall of humankind, God knew he had to take action to restore and reconcile the relationship with us. God knew about the problem and gave of himself in the form of His own Son as the solution. He couldn’t just stand by and watch but needed to go into action.
It is not enough to feel love for others. We need to put actions behind our love for others. If we don’t put actions behind our love, how will others know they are loved? Dr. Gary Chapman explains five love languages to put love into action. Here they are:
1. Words of affirmation – using words to build up the other person. “Thanks for taking out the garbage.” Not – “It’s about time you took the garbage out. The flies were going to carry it out for you.”
2. Gifts – a gift says, “He was thinking about me. Look what he got for me.”
3. Acts of Service – Doing something for your spouse that you know they would like. Cooking a meal, washing dishes, and vacuuming floors are all acts of service.
4. Quality time – by which I mean, giving your spouse your undivided attention. Taking a walk together or sitting on the couch with the TV off – talking and listening.
5. Physical touch – holding hands, hugging, kissing, and sexual intercourse are all expressions of love.
Next Steps: Put love into action today. Find one person to show love to today. See if you can figure out the love language of those who live in your home.