VOW: Love Is a Verb

Verse of the Week:

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil.

1 Corinthians 13:4-5 NKJV

We have all heard that in the Greek there are several different words for Love. One of those words is agape – described as the God kind of love. Most of the time when we say I love you, we are expressing a deeply held feeling of attachment for the object of our affection. The word love in the passage above is agape and it is sometimes translated charity.

“Love is not only something you feel, it is something you do.”

~ David Wilkerson

Charity is undoubtedly what David Wilkerson had in mind when he made the statement above. Charity is something you do.

Charity is kind to others, charity is not jealous when others succeed, charity does not let the left hand know what the right hand is doing when giving, charity does not try to get credit for giving, charity behaves respectfully to all people regardless of their circumstances, charity doesn’t try to be the center of attention, charity does not respond when its buttons are pushed, charity does not wish bad things on its enemies.

Remember when Yeshua/Jesus was asked which was the greatest commandment? He actually gave them two – the first was to love Yehovah/the LORD with all our heart, soul, and mind, and the second was to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Matthew 22:36-40

Yeshua/Jesus also asked Peter if he loved Him and to prove it, he was told to feed His sheep. John 21:15-17

Yeshua/Jesus told His followers that when they took care of those in need of water, food, clothing, shelter, visitation, that when they provided it they were doing unto Him – likewise when they did not, they were withholding it from Him. Matthew 25:31-46

Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people.

Colossians 3:23 CSB

Do Love.

Live it out this week

How do you do Love/Charity? Employ the building blocks of Love/Charity – and practice being tolerant, kind, generous, modest, humble, polite, unselfish, good-humored, and trusting.

Charity is not a feeling. Charity is a way of life. Charity is letting God shine through you.

Are you walking in Love/Charity? Are you decreasing so He can increase? That is what we all need to be striving for.

Memorize the Love Chapter – 1 Corinthians 13 and when you feel tempted to act in an unloving way, quote the passage.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, help me to act in love today, when tempted to stray from it, bring the words of this verse to my memory. Help me find ways to be generous with what you have given me and share it with others – both my things and compassion. In Yeshua’s/Jesus’ name, Amen.

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David Wilkerson (1931 – 2011) – Pastor, Evangelist, Founder of Teen Challenge, and author The Cross and The Switchblade

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