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God's Love Language (part 5)

by Hilary MacBeth

by Hilary MacBeth

Title                  God's Love Language (part 5)
Theme              The five languages of Love

 
Introduction

Four issues ago, in the introduction to this article, the authour listed the five languages of love as:

• Quality Time
• Physical Touch
• Receiving Gifts
• Acts of Service
• Words of Affirmation

Last issue we looked at the third.  Now we go on to the fourth, which is a shorter one. The next issue will have the final section.

 
4. Acts of Service

In Christ there is no pecking order, in fact Jesus inverted the pecking order when he took on the form of humanity.

The term "pecking order" was coined by a couple of Norwegian scientists who studied barnyard social behaviour. They noted the number of times chickens pecked each other and which ones were the peckers and which the peckees and what they discovered was (surprise, surprise) that the strong dominated and often victimized the weak and kept them in their places.  How different are humans from chickens? There is pecking order almost everywhere we look - wherever there is organization. Leadership is necessary - at work, at church, at home - Knowing one's place in the pecking order is necessary too and it works well when the top chickens have respect and understanding for those lower down the perch. This is the kind of leadership Jesus demonstrated when he took on the job of washing dirty feet of his students at the last supper. I wonder what the angels in heaven thought. Humility is a virtue God looks for in us because it is only when we are free from pride and self-importance that God can communicate his love to us. It is then that we are open to receive it. And it's the only way we can really connect with the hearts of others.

Jesus showed us how to relate to people, a way that demonstrated his love and compassion for those he met. A way that touched people's hearts and drew them to him.  The gospels are full of examples of Christ's practical ministry.

I like the term "The Jesus Model" when talking about ministry. That is a ministry that meets the felt needs. It goes to the heart of the problem and feeds the hungry and clothes the naked and puts a roof over the heads of the homeless. It shares the workload at home and helps a neighbour out and gives a ride to the carless. It offers a comforting shoulder to the distressed and listening ears to the overwhelmed. In short it reflects the kind of ministry Jesus himself performed.

Romans 12:15

Be happy with those who are happy and weep with those who weep.

Galatians 6:9,10

Look after church members!

God calls all of us to service and he has given us the talents required to perform that service. He is too wise and loving to ask us to do something we're not capable of doing and he has promised to always be with us. When we are connected to God he will lead us in our service for him and when we perform acts of service in his name we are speaking his love language to others.

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