Love In Action

The 14th of this month is Valentine’s Day. I’m convinced that this holiday, along with a few others, was invented by card manufactures to give another reason to buy cards. Maybe the postal service had something to do with it as well. The sale of stamps must shoot up during days such as this. Right? Maybe even phone companies played a part; sending long distance calls skyrocketing.

Having said that, it’s good to take some time to let those we love know it. Sadly, some women would never hear, or read, the words, “I love you” if it weren’t for a day that forces the male species to buy a card. I have always held that the man that doesn’t tell his wife ‘every day’ that he loves her, doesn’t say it often enough. There can be days when she, or he, is not so lovable. But, even on days when you don’t like her/him much you can say, “I love you.” I believe love is an action first, then it’s a feeling. God sent Christ into the world because of His love for mankind. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16. While God has feelings of love, in fact He is love, I John 4, this verse speaks of the action He took because of His love. He did this in spite of the fact that man is not so lovable. “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8. After sending the flood God said, “Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood.” Genesis 8:21. God hates sin and will judge man because of sin. But still, God extends His love toward man through His actions.

With God as our example, we need to extend our love toward our spouse, our children, our co-workers, our friends and neighbors, and those within our church community; even toward those who are not so lovable. We can treat everyone with dignity and respect; that’s an expression of love. And it’s a demonstration of love that can be extended to even the unlovable. Dignity and respect needs to be extended toward our spouse, even if we don’t like him/her much that day.

Once again let’s consider God’s love toward us. God sent His Son to Calvary to die for the sins of the world. Christ, out of His love for mankind, gave His life, His blood, that all men might be saved. Because of what Christ did (died on Calvary) and who He is (God in the flesh) we need to receive Him as our Lord and Savior. “Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God.” John 1:12. Christ said in John 14:6. “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Christ reminds us, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13. Calvary is God’s love in action! We need to love Him because, “He first loved us.” I John 4:19.