Love Is Something I Do

In review of 1 John 3:18 it says, “Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.”

Bottom Line:

Let us stop just saying we love, but let us really love, showing it with our actions.

What this means to me:

As a loved one of God, his child, I am to not just talk about loving, but really show it in my actions toward others.

Given this verse, If I really love someone, then I’ll show it by how I act toward that person.

What I have been learning is that love is more than attraction and more than arousal. In addition It’s also more than sentimentality; like so many of today’s song lyrics suggest. Love is not dead when the emotion is gone, because love is an action and a behavior.

There are many reminders in the Bible in which God commands us to love each other, and you can’t command an emotion. If I was to be told to “Be sad!”, I couldn’t just be sad on cue. Just like an actor, I could fake it, however I’m not wired for my emotions to change on command.

Besides, If love was just an emotion, then God couldn’t command it. Rather love is something I do. It can produce emotion, but love is an action.

John says, “Let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions” (1 John 3:18 NLT, second edition).

I know I can talk a good act and say: “I love people.” But do I really love them? My real love will be revealed in how I act toward them.

In summary, I am to not just talk about loving, but really show the truth by loving in my actions toward others. (Not just talk, but act!)  God, I thank you this morning for the reminder that true love reveals itself in right actions, it’s not just talk, feelings or good intentions. This is very similar to what James refers to “What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? (James 2:14, NLT). This morning I need to really consider if my actions are really reflecting the kind of love referred to in this verse. I am to not just talk about loving, but really show it in my actions.