What Does True Love Look Like?
God modeled true love by sacrificing His Son so we could be restored to relationship with Him and inherit eternal life. How do we measure up to His example?
A group of kids were asked to explain love. Here’s what they said:
“When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That’s love.”
“Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.”
“Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.”
“My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don’t see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.”
“Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.”
A common denominator
It’s interesting to note that their answers share a common denominator—they all suggest that love is demonstrated through actions.
It’s not enough to say, “I love you.” We need to back up our words with works—as God has done for us:
“God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other” (1 John 4:9-11 NLT).
Talk is cheap
Anyone can say they love someone, but showing it through their actions proves they mean what they say, especially when doing so requires a personal sacrifice.
Within family, this means we give up our personal ambitions to ensure someone else’s well-being—our kids, our spouse, or a senior parent. It means practicing the art of listening when we’d rather watch TV or read a book. It means showing kindness to the person whose unkind words have hurt our feelings.
In our church, workplace, and community, it means serving others by helping them develop their skills so they can shine. Or lending practical aid to others who need a hand.
In our relationship with God, it means acknowledging His importance to us by spending time in His presence and obeying His commands even when it hurts or seems unfair.
God modeled true love for us by sacrificing His Son so we could be restored to relationship with Him and inherit eternal life. How does our love for others measure up to His example?
How about you?
What’s one action you can take today to demonstrate love to someone in your family or workplace?
Know you are loved,
Grace
True love looks like Jesus. Obedient to His Father unto death. He didn’t obey everybody else. But he gave.
Therefore, for us, love is giving of ourselves and never looking back. In the giving, God gives back to us. He fills us when we worship and when we pray.
For the first time ever, in all my years of praying, while praying for our daughter two nights ago, I was left extremely weak, and so tired I couldn’t believe it. I was concerned for awhile (about myself), but then we prayed, lifting high the name of Jesus, and we worshipped. We were given strength and became filled with his energy and joy. This was new for us, and that is love (from God), and love is giving out for someone else. Submission to God.
I love your comment, “True love looks like Jesus.” Beautiful. And I also love that you worshipped Jesus in the midst of your weakness. There is power in praise–all too often we don’t access that power because we’re too caught up in our problems.
Oh, and by the way, after this prayer, we heard from our daughter the next morning, and her depression was gone, she was filled with the Joy of the Lord, breakthrough had come in all the areas which were dragging her down, where people needed to fix things in her apartment, her wheelchair needed repair, and several people around her were just giving her the worst time of her life. Would you believe that “In ONE day” everything changed?
ALL of this came through for her the next day…….and all those folks in her building were friendly and polite, for the first time in two years. To top it off, one of her friends gave her a gift card for a free manicure and pedicure. Friends brought food over (extra treats), and the building is quiet. I never want to give up prayer. Love is praying for others.
Yes! I’m so excited for you at this amazing answer to prayer. Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
You know, Grace, that is so right that we often don’t praise, pray or do and say something nice when we’re all caught up in our feelings. God is enabling me to see that more and more. It really is a horrid stronghold, but we can overcome it by obeying God. The just shall live by faith.
When I decide to pray when I’m at my most stubborn, or worship when I’m “too tired”, then that is when we see the big breakthroughs. Now that I have experienced those, I want to continue in that. It’s so exciting!
Amen, Marge. Thank you for sharing these insights. I needed to hear them today 🙂