Put a Little Love in Your Heart

“And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (I Corinthians 13: 13).

After listing a triad of traits it is said of the three, faith, hope, and love it is said the greatest of these is love.

One day faith will become sight, hope will become reality, but love lasts forever. It is the greatest because it alone continues in heaven.

There will be no faith in heaven. Faith will have been fulfilled in time.

There will be no hope in heaven. There is nothing that could be hoped for. Reality will prevail. Remaining will be love, ultimate love, love on steroids.

It is easy to say, “I love you.” The challenge is in showing it. At a funeral conducted by an old retired mountain pastor he spoke of his neighbor saying, “He never told me he loved me, but I never doubted it because he showed it every day.” Love is an active verb, a thing you do. It can be communicated without a word being spoken. It is a sensation experienced though not spoken. It is good to articulate it, it is better to enact it.

David Simmons expressed love well: “Love is SACRIFICIAL Action! Love always pays a price. Love always costs something. Love is expensive. When you love, benefits accrue to another’s account. Love is for you, not for me. Love gives; it doesn’t grab.”

The rest of the story by Dave involves his 5 and 8 year old children. He had taken them with him shopping. As they drove up to the mall they saw a special petting zoo set up for children to enjoy while parents shopped. Excitedly the children ask if they could go. He gave each a quarter to go. A few minutes later his daughter returned to him. Upon being asked why she didn’t go to the zoo she said, It cost 50 cents so she gave her brother her quarter so he could go. Then she repeated the family motto: “Love is action!” Having experienced it at home she showed it.

God showed us how to love by giving His love for us. He gave His only begotten Son not because we deserved it, but because we needed it, and His nature prompted it. Our new nature enables it. A worthy prayer is “Lord show your love through me.”

Let your heart sing with Jackie DeShannon from the early 80’s:
“Think of your fellow man lend him a helping hand
Put a little love in your heart.
And the world will be a better place and the world will be a better place
For you and me you just wait and see. Put a little love in your heart.”

Now, enjoy the blessing of love and go out there and show it. Demonstrate “Love in Action.” Express it even if you don’t feel it, and soon you will begin to feel it. If you do, shortly you will be acknowledging, it sure does feel good to show love.