Love is a Feeling Weve all heard and probably believe(d) the phrase, heck maybe have even posted the phrase on here, that love is an action verb, not a feeling. I agree, in part. Our actions can be loving, but an action not motivated by love isnt love. The feeling of love catalyzes the action of love. An act done only after haggling or done begrudgingly is not done out of love, but out of duty or perhaps out of fear. For instance, a child who eventually cleans his room after minutes(or hours) of exhaustingly trying to negotiate a reward for it, doesnt clean it because they love you, but because they desire a reward. Or how about a husband or wife whose relationship is clearly strained, whose marriage merely exists, who makes love to their spouse not out of love, but out of duty, or perhaps out of fear. But never mind what I say, what does Jesus say about actions not motivated by love: You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’” (Matthew 15:7-9 ESV) Also read what God commanded the prophet Amos to say to the Israelites in regards to their loveless and heartless worship: “I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals, I will not look upon them. Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. (Amos 5:21-24 ESV) 1 Corinthians 13 uses many different emotions/feelings to describe love. Yes, love is an action, but not all actions, even seemingly loving actions, are love. How important is it for the feeling of love to catalyze the action of love? Eternally important. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ (Matthew 7:21-23 ESV) Love is an action, but it must first begin as a feeling.
Posted on: Sun, 29 Jun 2014 23:54:56 +0000
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