Love is a term we use often in today’s society. Sometimes I think it’s a little over used.
My son Jack, when he was about 2 or 3, had received a balloon for something. He played with that balloon incessantly, walking around the house and letting the balloon float lazily behind him. But the real fun came when the helium leaked out and it fell to the ground. He would run around outside pulling the balloon while screaming, “I WUV DIS BAWOON!” over, and over, and over, and over.
Did he actually wuv dat bawoon? Depends on your definition of love. Many people have debated what love actually is and what it means. Oh, we could go into great detail about love, especially in biblical times as they had four different words for love.
- Agape – A divine love
- Eros – An intimate/physical love
- Philia – A brotherly love
- Storge – A familial love
Love doesn’t have to be pigeon holed into one specific set of standards or definitions. Love can mean many things depending on the situation. But there is one common denominator to all these loves: they drive us to act.
Storge has become one of my favorite loves in the past few years. I storge my children, and because I storge my children I try to spend time with them. I work at my job because I want them to be fed, clothed, and have a place to live. My love for my family drives me to do things for them.
God is the same way. He does things for us because He loves us. He blesses us, not because He hopes to receive something in return or to buy our love, He simply acts out of His great love. And He wants the same from us; He wants us to act out of our love.
In my last blog post, I wrote about the wedding at Cana and how, when Mary asked her son to perform a miracle, she looked at the face of love and acted. Jesus even told her no, but Mary knew what love looked like. When love, that godly, pure, and holy love looks you in the face you want to act.
So do it. Love. Love with all your heart. Act out of that love. Act in that love. Show the world what love is, don’t just tell them, let them see it in your life. A because of your active love, they will want the same.
Sunday, August 6, 2017 we’re continuing our Intentional Acts of Kindness series by talking about taking action. Use these songs we’ll be singing to prepare your heart for the message:
