The Joy of the Journey
Love Is An Action Word
Love is the central theme in the Bible, woven through every chapter, verse, and teaching. At its core, love is not merely a feeling or emotion; it is an active, deliberate choice. The Bible consistently reveals that love must manifest in action—love is something we do, not just something we feel. Love is an action word!
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus is asked which commandment is the greatest in the Law. His response provides a properunderstanding of biblical love: “And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37). He immediately follows this with a second, equally significant command: “And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:39). These commandments highlight love’s active nature. Loving God isn’t merely about feelings of devotion but requires obedience, worship, and reverence. Similarly, loving one’s neighbor is not confined to goodwill or passive affection but is shown through practical actions—kindness, care, and service to others.
Love is a verb. One of the most straightforward verses that emphasizes love as an action is 1 John 3:18, “ Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” Here, John is calling for believers to express love beyond empty words. According to Scripture, genuine love is verified by what we do, not merely by what we say. This call to action implies that words are not enough. John is teaching that love must involve tangible expressions—caring for the needs of others, providing for the less fortunate, and showing mercy and compassion.
Love is more than a philosophical concept. It is something we live out daily in how we interact with those around us. The most outstanding example of love in action is found in Jesus Christ. The entirety of His life and ministry on earth embodied active love. Jesus healed the sick, fed the hungry, welcomed outcasts, and forgave sinners. But His most remarkable demonstration of love was His sacrifice on the cross. In John 15:13, Jesus declares, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”
Jesus didn’t just speak about love; He acted on it, paying the ultimate price to redeem the world. His love for us wasn’t passive but intentional and sacrificial. This model of love sets the standard for how believers should love others through selflessness, sacrifice, and service.
The Apostle Paul describes what Christian love should be in 1 Corinthians 13. He doesn’t define love as a fleeting emotion but as something practical and rooted in actions. He says, “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5).
Paul lists every attribute of love as related to how we behave towards others. Patience, kindness, humility, and forgiveness are all actions that define the Christian’s call to love. Paul stresses that love is not passive but intentional. It involves making conscious choices to treat others with dignity, respect, and care.
Throughout Scripture, love is consistently depicted as more than a feeling—a commitment to act in ways that reflect God’s love for us. We are called to follow the example of Jesus. Hisexample was to proclaim His love and show it by laying down His life for us. We are called to love God and people because,without love, we are indeed nothing. This is not just saying we love…but to show it in practical, tangible ways. Whether through serving others, offering forgiveness, or laying down our lives in sacrificial ways, love must always be seen in what we do. As followers of Christ, we are called to live out the truth that love is indeed an action word.
