Love is an Action Word

       When I was a little girl in elementary school I remember them teaching us about grammar, you know, nouns, pronouns, verbs, and all that sort of thing and what I remember most about that is verbs were described as actions words, things you do like walk or run. Typically when we think of 'love' we think about it as a noun, its dictionary definition being 1. a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person or 2. a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend. And that certainly is love, that is love in its most recognizable form, but love is also a verb, and love is also a pronoun. No, I am not giving a grammar lesson today, I promise, but I do want to talk about how love is a pronoun, and also a verb.
       So the title of my post is 'Love is an Action Word' obviously referring to how love is a verb. And the dictionary does have some definitions of love as a verb, but its not the kind of love I'm talking about. Most of the dictionary definitions for love as a verb are about physical love, like making love and embracing. However, what I'm talking about are those large and small actions that show love to others, like helping the girl in the hallway at school who is being bullied, or putting the groceries in the car for an older man or woman who you see struggling, that is love, the love we were called by Christ to give. In  John 13:34-35 Jesus tells us "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” And what kind of love did He show us? Sacrificial love, the kind of love that puts God first, others second and ourselves last. The kind of love that fulfilled His words found at John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." Love is an action word because it is what we are to do for people, we are to love them whenever we have the opportunity too, not by words, or touch necessarily, but by our actions. By being the hand that helps them up, and shows them that someone cares when everyone else is too wrapped up in themselves.
       Love is also a pronoun, the personage of Jesus Christ. God is Himself Love, and we cannot truly love without Yeshua in us(1 John 4:8); which is something I have come to realize is very true. Before I knew Jesus it was hard to love people without expecting something in return, even if I did tell them I didn't want anything. I don't know if it's the same for everyone, but before Love took me over even my 'charitable' deeds had ulterior motives, like wanting to look good or getting something in return in the future. There was even a time before I surrendered where my service to the Lord was motivated by what He could or would give me, and not for the love of Him and His creations. Accepting the forgiveness Jesus had for me changed that, though. Now I love because Love is inside of me and its becoming as natural as breathing to care for others, not just sympathize with them but care so much you actually try to do what you can for them, even if it's just hunting down helpful information.
     Love is a pronoun that moves you to action, moves you to express Him. When you honestly have Yeshua in your heart you know it because He overflows from the depths of your heart and into your deeds. He is the driving force in your life taking you one small step closer at a time into His Father's house. He is what causes you to act, to love, to give and to be a servant to others because He cannot be contained within you. Love is an action word because Love is in all the actions we take when we abide in Him. 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails.(1 Corinthains 13:4-8) Be blessed and show them the love of our Mighty Mighty God, today and always.

Joshua 22:5   
Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments and to cling to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

Zephaniah 3:17   
The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing

Matthew 22:36-40
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

1 Thessalonians 4:9   
Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another

1 John 4:10   
In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

1 John 4:20    
If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.