love does, love speaks

Ruth and Kyle's friend traveling 90+ minutes one way "just to visit" them

• and buying us lunch 

a 23 month old sitting next to his 4 month old sister 

• reading his favorite book to her

an athletic trainer coming in early, staying late

• to make sure the kids have what they need, even if it is just a listening ear 

Xavier coming in the room after a visit to the doctor

• yelling MIA! when he saw me holding her

a friend's Facebook post about her parent's wedding anniversary

• 60 (yes, sixty) years today

cousins eagerly asking "when will they be here"

• one family arrived earlier than the other 

twelve college kids gathered together 9-10:30 tonight for training

• because they want to be prepared to share Jesus this summer at camp

love, regardless of how it is manifested, is a beautiful thing

• these are just a few of the ways I got to witness and enjoy it today

these examples of love are about as different as examples can be, 
yet they share some commonalities:

love
is not about the doing, though when we love, we do
is not about the words, though when we love, we speak
there is a world of difference 
between doing and saying out of obligation 
and doing and saying out of love 


love
involves the thought and motivation, 
the concern and compassion 
behind the doing and behind the words
love has a lot to do with "how can I invest in you"
love has nothing to do with  what can I gain from you

"Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law." Romans 13:8