Learning the Language of Love – Part One

Little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. I John 3: 18

Jesus said, “By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13: 35).  This was His litmus test for love.

The Bible or New Testament has been translated into all of the world’s major languages. The entire Bible is translated into a total of 293 languages spoken by 90% of the world’s population. The New Testament is available in another 618 languages. However, there are still 300,000,000 million people with no portion of Scripture in their language. Currently 3,000 Bible translators are working on 1,400 translation projects hopefully to be completed by 2033.

However, there is a strategic translation that needs to be made by you which only your friends will read. It is the language of love.

Therefore, “…let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth” (I John 3: 18).

Let that reverberate in the echo chamber of your heart.

“A light that doesn’t glow,
A spring that doesn’t flow,
A seed that doesn’t grow,
All are analogies of a faith that doesn’t SHOW. 

The Bible says, “God is love.” That might have been doubted until “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us””(John 1: 14). That was show and tell time. Jesus told us of the love of God and then went to Calvary and showed us the love of God. Like Jesus we must combine words and deeds.

“In this is the love of God manifested toward us, that God sent His Son into the world, that we might live through Him.” (I John 4: 9)

With reference to Jesus the Scripture says, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (I John 1: 14)

The Greek term translated Word is “Logos.” Logos was a term used at the time by Philo which meant “all that is known or knowable about God.” That is Who Jesus is. He is “all that is known or knowable about God.”  He made it known by grace and truth. Grace was His style and truth His speech.

His very actions were the expression of the heart of God the Father. In essence, our actions are a language. What we do is what people hear. What people see is what they hear.

Love is a language which the blind can read and the deaf can understand.

You speak the language of love without opening your mouth when you write a note of encouragement, help someone perform a difficult task, bake a cake or cookies, take in the neighbor’s paper when they are away, open a door, give a cool drink on a hot day or a warm drink on a cold day, share a mutual sorrow, or give a love offering to meet a spiritual need.

A kind look, a thoughtful act, or a warm smile can be ammunition for a friend fighting his unseen battle. Observers of speech estimate that approximately 75% or more of our message is communicated nonverbally or in the tone of our voice. 

Walk the walk and talk the talk.