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Dear Family in Christ,
According to Dr. Gary Chapman, every person has an internal "love bank". Instead of money, this invisible "bank" is filled with a certain amount of love. Some people's "love banks" are full, others are close to empty, and others are somewhere in between. The love amount in our bank increases through "deposits" made by others. Deposits are made when someone else does something for us that we receive as "love". The love amount in our bank decreases through "withdrawals" by others. Withdrawals happen when someone does something to us that we receive as rejection. In any given week, we experience both deposits and withdrawals.
The question is: How can I both give and receive DEPOSITS better?
To answer this, Dr. Chapman, in his book The Five Languages of Love, looks at the five different ways human beings give and receive love. They are:
Quality Time
Gift Giving
Physical Touch
Acts of Service
Words of Encouragement
We all experience these five areas as love but we individually tend to receive our love deposits primarily through one or two of these "languages". The problem is we tend to naturally give out the kind of love that we ourselves need. The solution is to zero in on the other person's love language and then give them love "deposits" in that language form. Consistent deposits fill their "love bank" and empower them to (guess what?) make love deposits in other's banks! Pray for a discerning mind and a servant's heart. Be accountable to your small group fellowship or a prayer partner. Commit to loving your wife, husband, child, friend, priest, etc. in a way they can experience it. Watch for the little ways and opportunities that allow you the privilege of speaking their love language. Walk into those opportunities with joy. For the one you serve is Jesus Himself.
Loving with you,
Scott +
…But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
© Jesus (Mark 10: 43-45)
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