Love Languages

 My one good thing yesterday was helping Sam to wrap the Christmas presents he has bought for his girlfriend.  Not because Im an excellent present wrapper, but because we spent some really nice time together talking about what he had bought her.  And in so doing I learned something I didn't know about Sam - he wants to express his feelings through the thoughtful giving of gifts.   This is deeply gratifying to me because I'm a giver of gifts.  Keith however, is not.  The giving of gifts figured very large in my childhood and hardly at all in his.  So it is not surprising that we come at Christmas and birthdays from different angles.   Until now I hadn't been sure quite which side of the line each of the boys would fall.  So I was delighted to see Sam on my ' side'.  There is much joy to be had in the giving of gifts.  I'm really hoping Sam will discover this when he and his girlfriend exchange presents tomorrow.

Thinking along these lines yesterday evening led me to think about love languages - and in particular about Jesus's love languages.

For those of you who might not have heard the term,  a guy called Gary Chapman wrote a book a while ago suggesting that there are 5 basic ways in which we give and receive love.  

words of affirmation, acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time, and physical touch

Jesus received love in all of these ways.   He was affirmed by His Father at His baptism, He had his feet washed by a prostitutes tears, He was given gold , frankincense and myrrh at His birth.  He drew aside to spend time with His Father and welcomed John to recline on His breast at table.   Jesus needed to receive love in the same way that all of us do.    Which is quite a thought isn't it?  The God who created the universe and who is the source of all Love, became a baby, child, boy, man who had the same need for love and affirmation, for care and touch as we do.   Jesus sometimes needed a hug.   I think of Him standing at the tomb of Lazarus in tears, surrounded by sobbing women and I wonder what the disciples did.   Did John or Peter stand beside Jesus with their arms round His shoulders just being there for Him?   Did one of them step up to give Him a hug?  It's a human response to grief isnt it?  We need to be comforted in moments of distress.

Jesus clearly felt loved by those people who showed their love by acts of service.  He felt honoured by Simon for inviting Him to supper, but He knew He was loved by the woman who anointed His feet.  He felt loved by the woman who put a few pence into the temple offering.  He loved to touch the untouchable and speak affirmation to the condemned.  Even as He was hanging on a cross He was thinking about His mother and expressing His love for her by asking John to take care of her.  Jesus is the very embodiment of the love languages we all speak and need to hear.  I love these words of the hymn Love Divine.   ' Love divine, all loves excelling'  

 Love divine, all loves excelling,
joy of heav’n, to earth come down,
fix in us thy humble dwelling,
all thy faithful mercies crown.

Jesus, thou art all compassion,
pure, unbounded love thou art.         
Visit us with thy salvation;
enter ev'ry trembling heart.

May you know the pure, unbounded love of Jesus this Christmas Eve. I pray you truly experience His love through the words He speaks to you, the way He serves you, touches you, and the time He spends with you.  May you see the gifts He is giving you and leave none of them unwrapped as you head into another year.