Love is action

I have been thinking about love lately. So often people say "I love you," but do they really mean it? For some, they don't know what love is, to them it is merely words. However, love is action. I do not recall a time Jesus ever said "I love you" (correct me if I am wrong). But He showed us in a thousand different ways that He loves us. The most obvious is going to the cross to die for ALL of us. There are people I am willing to die for, but I am not willing to die for everyone. Jesus didn't put a caveat on His death, He literally died for those who were with Him at that time, and those of us who were not even thought of yet, and still those who are yet to come. That is love. 

We are called to love our neighbors but if we don't know what love is, how are we going to love our neighbor? Love is not merely a verb it is a call to action. 

Love is many things, a feeling of devotion or strong friendship, attraction based on sexual desire, affection based on admiration and common interests, an attachment. It is also defined as "unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for another person, such as the fatherly concern of God for humankind, or brotherly concern for others." (Merriam Webster)

Love is making dinner for a family in need.

Love is holding the door for the person behind you.

Love is saying you will pray for someone and then doing it.

Love is opening the door for other people.

Love is holding in the snarky remark you are tempted to make.

Love is caring for your family even when you don't feel like it.

Love is reaching out to let people know you miss them.

Love is waving at your neighbors as you drive by.

Love is not cursing at the person who cuts you off in traffic.

Love is teaching your children to respect their elders.

Love is teaching your children to respect people's differences.

Love is respecting people's differences.

Love doesn't have to have it's own way.

Love is giving someone else the last piece of cake even though you really want it.

Love is doing someone else's chore without being asked.

Love is smiling at the cashier who is having a hard day.

Love is leaving a tip even when the service is bad.

So many people say I love you and while it is nice to hear the words, they mean NOTHING if they are not followed by action. If I say I love you and then continue to treat you like trash, is that love? Absolutely not. If I say I love you but I cheat on you, is that love? Nope. If I say I love you and never spend any time with you, is that love? Not at all. 

The Bible has the best definition of love: 

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

I finished a book yesterday called Love Does by Bob Goff and it is the most impactful book I have ever read on showing love in action (not including the Bible). The whole point of the book is "Love Does." That implies action. Goff shows in his book ways he has loved big, and small, not letting the seemingly impossible stand in his way. He shows love in action in incredible ways. The book reads like a fiction novel, but it's not. It's a story of a family that shows love in action. It's an incredible story. And, maybe that's the point, love is incredible and it has us doing incredible things.

We don't have to show love in incredible ways, or even big ways, but we do have to show love. It's time to stop sitting on the sidelines and letting life pass us by. It's time to be an active participate in our lives and to truly love our neighbors. And, in case you don't know who your neighbor is, it is ANYONE God puts in your path on a daily basis. You don't have to know them to love them, you don't have to like them to love them, you don't have to love in big ways, but you do have to love. Love is action. What ways are you loving your neighbors? If you are not loving them then you are hating them. You can't do both, you are either leading them toward the cross or away from it with your actions. 

LOVE DOES.

So, go do it.

 "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31