John 13:34
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
Reflection
On a shelf in my office are some stacks of books. They represent an assortment of books intended as free resources for those who are struggling with one thing or another. There are marriage books (mostly), books on anxiety and suffering, and books on discipline. The idea is to have readily available resources of definite value to give to people when in an immediate crisis… a resource with easily applicable wisdom. One of the books is The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman. I like this book very much as it was part of the premarital counseling Kelly and I paid for when we were in college. I must confess that it has helped our marriage through the years (as well as our parenting).
Kelly’s “love language” is Words of Affirmation, with physical touch as a second. Mine is primarily Acts of Service. The idea is that the way she feels loved is to be verbally nurtured and affirmed, and the way I receive love is to be served. That is, Kelly could tell me gushingly “I love you” a thousand times, and that won’t amount to a few times of her doing some tasks and serving in an unexpected manner. Conversely, I could clean the kitchen for a month, and that won’t amount to the way she receives a very heartfelt “I love you.” If you are not familiar with this book, I encourage you to read it. It can be applied, obviously, to your children and other relationships. Relationships are worth the investment. And the investment must have the most bang for the buck if it is to be effective. Even as Christ displays all of the love languages to us, we too must know how to love people in a way they receive it! Find out how those around you receive and express love and show them you love them.
Prayer
Oh, may we be good at loving people! May we discover, for others’ sake, how they receive love from me, and may I show them the love of Christ with great intention!
