Luv Is A Verb

Read

1 John 3:16-18 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

What it is speaking to me:

I am going to quote two songs that will date my childhood for you.

First, a song that aired on television on September 22, 1973 as part of Schoolhouse Rock, which was part of the Saturday morning cartoon programming on ABC. It was titled "Verb: That's What's Happening," featuring the first animated Black superhero on TV in the US. Part of the lyrics were:

I put my heart in action

To run, to go, to get, to give

That's where I find satisfaction, yeah! Yeah!

To search, to find, to have, to hold

Verb! To be bold

When I use my imagination

Verb! That's what's happening!

It taught you the grammatical uses of verbs and how they differed from nouns. It's awesome; head to YouTube and enjoy yourself.

The second song was on DC Talk's junior album Free at Last, released November 1, 1992. The first track is titled "Luv Is a Verb." The lyrics for the chorus:

Hey, tell me haven't you heard,

Love is a serious word

Hey, I think it's time you learned,

I don't care what you say, I don't care what you've heard,

The word luv, luv is a verb

(Reader's note: cool kids in the '90s spelled love "luv." I don't have an explanation as to why. I guess you just had to be there.)

Now, besides the fact that you are obviously jealous of my childhood, which was filled with musical masterpieces such as those above, I was reminded of these songs when I read these verses. The first teaches that verbs are words of action. Verbs mean SOMETHING is happening. The second song, despite its unorthodox spelling decisions, teaches that love IS a verb. And despite their origins, and the fact that they were written nearly 2,000 years later, they jive with what Paul is writing. Love is action. It isn't an idea. It's hands, feet, heart, and head.

If we could never utter the phrase "I love you," would the people around us know it anyway by our actions? Words can be love and action too, but it's an interesting thought. Often love is spoken loudest when no words are used at all.

Love is an action verb; in short, it's happenin'!

What is it saying to you?

How's "it happening" for you?

What does love in action look like in your life?

What are we going to do about it?

Pick one verb from this passage and make it an action in your interactions today.