Love is a Verb

The following is an excerpt from a book I am reading right now (7 Habits of Highly Effective People):

"Love is a verb. Love - the feeling - is a fruit of love, the verb. So love. Serve. Sacrifice. Listen. Empathize. Appreciate..."

The story the author was telling was about a husband and wife relationship, but it really struck me in regards to my everyday life. It was a good reminder to do love actions for my husband, but that is easier for me than the confession I am about to make.

I was convicted reading that story because I say that I love people and I pray that God would fill me with His love so I can better love His people, but do my actions show that I truly love people? I am reminded of a situation a couple of weeks ago when I was in a restaurant and a mother was struggling to carry her tray, her purse, and her infant while keeping an eye on her toddler. I offered to carry this woman's tray to her table...I didn't think of it at the time as a love action, but that was God in me. She was easy to love (because she was like me).

So here is the confession...today I watched in disgust as a gay couple struggled to get their stroller and their toddler in the car while being rained on. Did I offer help? Did I look at them and say a prayer for their salvation? Did I offer them the salvation that God graciously offered to me? No, I judged them for their lifestyle and raised my head up high, glad that I wasn't like them. Father, forgive me and help me to be more like Your Son. Fill me with your Holy Spirit so that Your love can be shown to all people because I can't do it on my own.

John 3:16 "For God so LOVED the world that He gave His one and only Son that WHOSOEVER believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."