Love is a verb
Love is a Verb: Choosing Kindness in the Everyday
"Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth." — 1 John 3:18 (NIV)
It’s easy to talk about love in grand, abstract terms, but the real test of our faith comes down to the moments when love is least convenient. Have you ever felt that "loving your neighbor" is easier said than done, especially when they are difficult, demanding, or simply irritating? We often get stuck trying to feel love for everyone, which is an exhausting and often failing endeavor. True, unconditional love isn't a sweet emotion we wait for; it is an active choice we make, regardless of whether the other person is lovable in the moment.
The Bible provides the ultimate blueprint for this type of love, describing it entirely in actions—love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, and it always protects (1 Corinthians 13:4-7). This divine pattern confirms a powerful truth: the ultimate demonstration of love is found not in our feelings, but in our service. For example, I recently witnessed a situation where a neighbor’s dog repeatedly barked at 5 AM, waking the entire street. Instead of leaving an angry note, one resident, armed with patience, baked the neighbor a batch of cookies and offered to walk the dog once a week to help train it. This simple act of choosing kindness over confrontation completely diffused a hostile situation and transformed a neighborly feud into a friendship.
When we embrace love as a selfless action—modeled after Christ's sacrifice—it becomes liberating and powerful, flowing from a divine source rather than our own limited human reserves. Conversely, trying to generate kindness and patience with only our personal strength is a recipe for burnout and failure. This is why our focus must shift from feeling loved to acting in love, prioritizing the good of others over our immediate comfort or pride. When you choose to absorb a moment of frustration without snapping back, that choice is a powerful echo of God's grace toward you.
The most transformative change often begins in the smallest places. We don't need a massive stage or a global mission trip to begin practicing love as a verb; we simply need our home, our workplace, and our community. If you want to see the change begin, embrace the challenge to act in kindness right now. As Mother Teresa wisely taught, "If you want to change the world, go home and love your family."
"Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth." — 1 John 3:18 (NIV)
It’s easy to talk about love in grand, abstract terms, but the real test of our faith comes down to the moments when love is least convenient. Have you ever felt that "loving your neighbor" is easier said than done, especially when they are difficult, demanding, or simply irritating? We often get stuck trying to feel love for everyone, which is an exhausting and often failing endeavor. True, unconditional love isn't a sweet emotion we wait for; it is an active choice we make, regardless of whether the other person is lovable in the moment.
The Bible provides the ultimate blueprint for this type of love, describing it entirely in actions—love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, and it always protects (1 Corinthians 13:4-7). This divine pattern confirms a powerful truth: the ultimate demonstration of love is found not in our feelings, but in our service. For example, I recently witnessed a situation where a neighbor’s dog repeatedly barked at 5 AM, waking the entire street. Instead of leaving an angry note, one resident, armed with patience, baked the neighbor a batch of cookies and offered to walk the dog once a week to help train it. This simple act of choosing kindness over confrontation completely diffused a hostile situation and transformed a neighborly feud into a friendship.
When we embrace love as a selfless action—modeled after Christ's sacrifice—it becomes liberating and powerful, flowing from a divine source rather than our own limited human reserves. Conversely, trying to generate kindness and patience with only our personal strength is a recipe for burnout and failure. This is why our focus must shift from feeling loved to acting in love, prioritizing the good of others over our immediate comfort or pride. When you choose to absorb a moment of frustration without snapping back, that choice is a powerful echo of God's grace toward you.
The most transformative change often begins in the smallest places. We don't need a massive stage or a global mission trip to begin practicing love as a verb; we simply need our home, our workplace, and our community. If you want to see the change begin, embrace the challenge to act in kindness right now. As Mother Teresa wisely taught, "If you want to change the world, go home and love your family."
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