Walking In Love

It’s so easy to say, “I love you.” The phrase is used so much and loosely that we tend to not really walk into the true meaning of it. It is three simple words, but it gets “tossed” around so much that it doesn’t mean what they’re supposed to truly mean. We can say, “I love you a thousand times a day to someone, but our actions often do not back up those 3 simple but powerful words.

Saying “I love you” is so commonplace anymore that I really wonder if people realize what they are saying. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 is a passage used a lot in marriage ceremonies, but it’s something we need to frequently look at and see if when we say I love you our actions are reflecting God's definition of love. God’s word says “love is patient, Love is kind, and is not jealous. Love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

This is a clear definition of what love is and what love is not. John 15:12 tells us “This is my commandment that ye love one another, as I have loved you.” John 15:17 also says, “These things I command you, that ye love one another.” Jesus is not asking us to love one another. He is not casually saying “Well if you feel like walking in love go ahead, but if you don’t then you don’t have to.” He is Commanding us to love one another and to love one another as He loves us.

Romans 12:9-21 says “Let love be without hypocrisy, abhor what is evil, cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love, give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, be fervent in spirit, serving the Lord, rejoicing in hope, preserving in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and curse not. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lonely. Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men, if possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.”

This passage takes us a step further on how to walk in love with others. As Christians we are “One body in Christ” and we need to act that way. If we were to cut our finger- we would take our other hand to clean the wound and put a band-aid on it. We wouldn’t let our finger go “un-nursed.” The same is true of us. We need to always be that “Helping hand” to others and to walk in love towards the body of Christ and non-believers. To walk in the true meaning of love with our spouses, children, family members, and friends.

Jesus was mistreated so many times, but He always walked in love and most importantly forgiveness. He never quit giving and meeting the needs of others. We are to as well emulate Christ and strive more and more to walk in “Godly character” in every situation and with everyone. We may not always approve of others' actions, but we can always walk in love.

When we say, “I love you” we need to realize what we are saying. We need to always back up those words with actions- actions that are Christ-like and that define what true love is.