In his 1992 book, “The Five Love Languages…” Gary Chapman put forth a premise that we each have a predominant/preferred way or both expressing and receiving love. I confess, I’ve never read the book, just summaries. Here are the Five Love Languages per his insights: 1. Quality Time 2. Words of Affirmation 3. Gifts 4. Acts of Service 5. Physical Touch.
I’ve been thinking on this because we are currently visiting our daughter in Tennessee at her rental home. We’ve had some Quality Time in the evenings when she’s returned from post, and throughout the day I’ve been tackling home projects inside and out. (Renee’s been doing a bang up job inside) Acts of Service are the ways I most readily demonstrate love. I try with the others, and certainly recognize their importance, they just aren’t as natural a go to for me as helping a Habitat build, cleaning out gutters, unclogging drain pipes, doing landscaping etc. Your way of expressing/receiving love is every bit as important as mine or anyone else’s which is why it’s so important that we have the varied gifts, and varied ways of expressing love in a Christian community. Matching gift givers with gift receivers, huggers with huggees, words of affirmation with ears longing to hear them, taking time with one another.
Jesus told his disciples, “I give you a new command that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you are to love one another.” What’s your love language? Do those close to you know?
God’s peace & hope,
Pastor Jon