Happy Valentine’s Day! Seem like a great day to dig in a bit deeper to the topic of how to show folks we truly love them, doesn’t it?
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I love telling my wife that I love her!
When you truly love someone, one of the joys of sharing that love together is to say “I Love You” to one another. It’s also a treat to hear someone tell you that phrase, too. When speaking with your spouse, it is an intimate reminder of a lifelong covenant. When speaking to others, be they family members or dear friends, it is a sign of respect, care and commitment.
Personally, I think that those three words are so significant and carry such a promise of commitment that they ought never be used carelessly. I told my sons that they should never say “I love you” to a young lady until they were prepared to follow those three words with the question “Will you marry me?”
There are simply some phrases that carry an extraordinary amount of commitment when spoken. They are an “all the way” commitment. Another such phrase is “I’d take a bullet for you!” Just speaking it is a commitment to lay down your life, if necessary, to protect the life of the other. You can’t modify its meaning and level of commitment. No one says, “I’d take a bullet for you. Well, NOT IN THE CHEST, but like – maybe the shoulder or leg.” We read that and laugh. When you say “take a bullet” that says it all.
As I mentioned yesterday, when all is said and done, there’s often a lot more said than done. Just SAYING those three words — I LOVE YOU — to someone actually means nothing (or nothing much) if that’s not followed and supported by a consistent demonstration of that love.
Today’s verse says DON’T FORGET TO DO GOOD
LOVE – true love – is seen in the actions it expresses. Love is a verb. It is expressed in ACTIONS, not words alone.
If I don’t LIVE my love for my wife every day, if it doesn’t show in my actions; then sooner or later the three words will lose their meaning. I need to LIVE the love I speak about. It is my regular and ongoing actions that make it a LIVING LOVE.
There’s a big difference between a LIVING LOVE and a DEAD LOVE. A dead love can be expressed in words alone, but not a living one.
Yesterday was the two year anniversary of my father’s death. Though my memories of my father live on, my RELATIONSHIP with him is dead. I used to get up every morning and have coffee with him; now I don’t. I used to sit with him evening to share a glass of wine or beer and talk about our day; now I don’t. What my Dad wanted and needed used to impact my life every day; but now it doesn’t. I cannot express my love to him any longer, our relationship died when he did. For now, all I have are memories. I used to be able to LIVE my love for him every day. But those days have gone. For now. Someday we’ll be together again; but for now I only have memories of a living love.
One thing has been painfully clear over the past two years, there’s a big difference between living something and remembering something.
As I look at the scriptures, especially the Book of ACTS, I believe that we are supposed to be LIVING SOMETHING, not just REMEMBERING SOMETHING. (Note, please, that it is the Book of the ACTS of the apostles; not the words, memories or intentions of the apostles.)
JUST LIKE A LIVING LOVE SHOWS AS LIFE HAPPENS, A LIVING FAITH SHOWS.
Today’s verse reminds us that we are supposed to be LIVING something; DOING something, not simply remembering something. It reminds us that our faith ought to be expressed in real love. Love is a verb, not a noun. A LIVING love cannot be expressed by words alone; it requires action. Ongoing and repeated action.
Let’s not just talk about loving one another; let SHOW our love by what we do. DO GOOD.
