Love has many meanings. Most of us desire to hear the words, “I love you.” However, these words can be deceiving. Here is an example. A husband abuses his wife and then says, “I love you.” These words are more likely to be means of manipulation than expressions of real love. Likewise, an obsessed fan stalks a star and makes frequent professions of love. This is not likely to be love. In another instance, a teenager carves I love you on a parent’s nightstand with a knife. Again, one wonders whether this is a legitimate expression of love.
Paul in 1 Cor. 13 talks about love. Some of the words which Paul uses to describe love are words like: patient, kind, not proud, not self-seeking, protecting and never-failing. There are all kinds of love in this world with different meanings. These include a godly love, romantic love, parental love and brotherly love.
We often bandy about words of love and use expressing of love like saying “good-bye” or “have a good day!” In fact, some people end their telephone conversations by saying “I love you” or “Love Ya.” In churches we proclaim that we love one another, but in most cases we don’t even know our neighbor or our fellow church member but we still use the word “love”. In reality, we don’t even “know” most of our church members personally. In short, we often cheapen and even demean the words of love. If you are like me, you have a long way to go in learning to love God, your relatives, your neighbors or even yourself.
Words are cheap. Really. In Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus said: “Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord,” shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?” And then I will declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” This verse should literally strike fear into many of our hearts. Jesus was saying clearly, “It is not what you say that counts, but it is what you do!” The people in Matthew 7 were saying good things but they were practicing lawlessness. In James 1:22 we are commanded to be doers of the word and not just hearers. Saying the right words or expressions of love is NOT enough.
Saying “I love you” is cheap. These words can have a variety of meanings and can be used for a multitude of purposes including to manipulate and enslave. Jesus did not just no say “I love you” or “I will do what my father wants me to do.” Instead Jesus did the works of love. He was obedient to the will of His father and He demonstrated his love for us. Romans 5:8 says that “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us”. Jesus Christ did not just speak pretty words but He did the words.
Do the fruit test. I once had a boss who told me not to listen to what the negotiators on the other side of the table said, but instead I should look at what they did. I believe this is good advice. I also believe that Jesus would support this. Saying “Lord, Lord” was not enough for Jesus, but he will judge on what people do not just on what they say. We should do the same.
Even John, the Apostle of Love, agreed with this. In 1 John 3:18, he wrote: “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” I agree with the Apostle John on this. This also means that I need to do a better job personally in loving with my actions instead of just words.
