Love in Action

18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. (My italics)

Now here's a verse that I think everyone would agree with. It's very easy to tell someone, "I love you." It's slightly more challenging to actually show someone, "I love you."

Why is that? Because love in action requires putting another's interests ahead of our own. Words can be empty and hollow. Actions can't be. They have to be planned out and then carried out. Words can be picked out of thin air. Actions develop in the heart. Love in action means love in the heart.

For instance, love in action could mean emptying the dishwasher without being prompted (something I could do more of). It could mean getting the baby ready for bed and sitting with her while your wife has some time to herself. Love in action means figuring out what makes your friend/spouse/whoever feel most loved. This book and its other iterations give great insight into the basic ways people both give and receive love.

The bottom line is that we must show love to those we love. The words that come out of our mouth must line up with our actions. If there's a disconnect, the meaning of those words or actions loses value.

Let us not forget the example of love: "This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him."

Have a great day!

-D