Love is a verb…

By Debra Abbot

The site odysseyonline.com says love is a decision not an emotion; and in this blog, they are talking about romantic relationships. Their view is that we’ve been fooled into thinking that love is an uncontrollable emotion that just happens when it’s really a choice not an emotion. It’s a decision that you declare to uphold every day for someone who matters to you.

They further went on to say, treating love as a feeling will only set you up for failure. One day you will feel great sitting next to your partner, but another day you would feel quite upset with them, but if you decide to love them daily throughout those different emotions, then you have a real connection.

If you love each other, through it all, “let me be me, and you be you”, then we’ve got it made.

The scriptures have countless verses on love but John 3:16 says it all: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

Our focus is the action. This is how God showed us love: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son.” Let us always remember this; it is the ultimate definition of love; Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.

Now let’s look at John 15:12: “This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you.” With that scripture there is nothing more left to be said. It’s confirmed “Love is a verb.”

So, it’s time to change the way we think about the word “love” and not think of it as just an emotion. Some women with visible bruises on their faces say that the husbands who struck them, love them, since they see love as a feeling.

The word hides the truth, which is, someone doesn’t love you if you are repeatedly beaten and abused. You may have strong feelings about each other, you may even feel you cannot live without each other, but you do not love each other.

Let’s switch to everyday life; how do we show love? I asked two friends to share their views on love.

‘Ducky’ said, “We pray every day, but we hardly share the verb, helping, giving, sharing….” Another friend, Barbara said, “When people offend you, ignore and treat them with a lot of kindness, pretty much like what your mother used to say.”

It is my belief that love is a verb, but not only to be portrayed in romantic love but in life in general. Let’s listen to Ducky and Barbara. The people you work with, your neighbours, your friends, your other family members, they will all annoy you at some point. Just stop and react with love