Love Is A Verb

C. S. Lewis is one of my favorite authors. He lived many years ago and wrote many amazing Christian books. The funny thing is, he wasn't always a Christian. He did not grow up in a Christian home. At age 15 he even professed to be an atheist.

C. S. Lewis' life was full of many sad times. He was home schooled until his mother passed away, then sent off to school which closed down a few short years after he was there. Later, he fought in World War 1. Despite the set backs, he ended up a Professor at Oxford University in England. There he met famous author J. R. R. Tolkien. It was Tolkien who planted the seed of God's love in Lewis. 

In Lewis' book Surprised by Joy, he describes how God tugged at his heart.

"You must picture me alone in that room in Magdalen, night after night, feeling, whenever my mind lifted even for a second from my work, the steady, unrelenting approach of Him whom I so earnestly desired not to meet. That which I greatly feared had at last come upon me. In the Trinity Term of 1929 I gave in, and admitted that God was God, and knelt and prayed: perhaps, that night, the most dejected and reluctant convert in all England."

When God loves you, He doesn't give up. He had a plan for Lewis' life. He wanted to reach millions and millions of people throughout many years through Lewis' writings. That's exactly what has happened. 

This quote above really touches my heart. I think it is a very true statement. Love is an action. It is a verb. At my church our missions organization is called "Live Love", because that's what we do. We help people through acts of love. It can be by providing food for a family in our community, praying for people, sending money overseas to rescue children out of sex slavery, or helping a homeless Veteran get permanent housing. Showing love is what God meant when He said to love your neighbor as yourself. 

This is the Scripture where Jesus told us this. He was asked what the greatest commandant is. So, Matthew 22: 37-40 says, "37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Are you loving your neighbor? If not, start today!