Love is a verb.

Happy Wednesday!

Last week, as I was spending time with some of our children, I noticed one of them had written this on the white board:  

"Love is a verb." 

Knowing this child, I was aware that they own a t-shirt that carries this exact message, and I remember thinking, "I wonder if they understand what that means, and how powerful a message that is."  My instinct is that they understand the message even better than I do.

Over the last week, as I have tossed that moment around in my mind, I remember myself at 8 years old. That year, for Easter, I received a Bible and a bookmark with my name on it. At that age, I was thrilled to have things that included my name: a Boston tape (yes, I loved 80s music even then), a monogrammed bag, pencils, notepads, you name it. Thus, my new favorite bookmark read, "Amanda-- Latin: Worthy of Love" and then had a Psalm to accompany it. I remember often looking at that bookmark and naively thinking that it meant I was entitled to a fairy tale- the love of prince charming all wrapped up in sunshine and rainbows and me always having perfectly combed hair and fancy clothes. After all, my name literally meant that I deserved that, right?

As I grew and matured (and, perhaps, grew a little more cynical) in my teenage years, I sort of defined myself by the word "worthy." Who was worthy? Why? How do you become worthy? And in relation to love, does that mean that some aren't? If I was involved in these types of things, went to these types of events, made these types of grades, had these types of friends... then, would I be worthy?

Now, I choose to define myself by the word "love."

I know this to be true: love is no fairytale. It is hard. Really, really hard. Love is a verb. It conveys action. Love requires us to forgive. To be patient. To be humble. To be selfless. To trust. To hope. To persevere. Take a look at 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. These verses are so commonly used that I think we forget what they mean. Love requires us to accept people who are different than we are. Different races, different religions, different economic statuses, different political parties, different points of view, different ages and genders and sexual orientations. Love requires us to look someone in the eye that has hurt us... and ask for, and offer, forgiveness.  Love requires us to listen. Love means we dont judge.

As people who are followers of Christ, who seek relationship with him, hear these words: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. ALL the Law and the prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matthew 22: 37-40)

Love is our greatest command. Our greatest call. Love God. Love people.

Love, my friends, is a verb.