What Language?
8 February 2023
Pig Latin. Sign language. Morse code.
So many fascinating languages exist. Out of the 7000 languages thought to be spoken around the globe, English is the most prolific with 1.13 billion folks using it, but most as a second or third language. Chinese, the language most humans use as their tongue from birth, has 13 variations.
But out of all the languages you’ve studied, how fluent are you in “love languages”?
It’s vital that Christians develop mastery of the love language. After all, Jesus taught the Great Command as loving God and loving neighbors. (Matt 22, Mark 12, and Luke 10) But what does that mean? What if different people feel loved in different ways? With Valentine’s Day coming up, we’re inspired to forgo giving the easiest or flashiest gift, but thoughtfully identifying the gift for our beloved spouse, partner, or dear friends and family that actually trigger in them a recognition of our genuine appreciation and fondness for them. What gift will “speak THEIR language”?
Over the years, we’ve shared that Dr. Gary Chapman has identified five top Love Languages: words of affirmation, gifts, acts of service, quality time, and physical touch. Here’s the idea: just because YOU think steak and potatoes are the best meal ever doesn’t mean your partner/friend does. Or even though you think a watching a romantic comedy is a sensational movie night, don’t expect your partner/friend to enjoy the evening if they really prefer action flicks.
With the Super Bowl coming up, what if we were to come up with a game plan with eyes on Super Relationships?
First, watch this short video clip that overviews the 5 Love Language strategy:
Second, here’s a 6-minute video that explains the Love Languages with greater detail. The commentor is a bit dry but on the money:
You’re on a roll! Now, thirdly, here is a little quiz that will take LESS than 5 minutes and reveal and rank YOUR love languages:
https://www.5lovelanguages.com/quizzes
(Just for fun, I’ll share the survey revealed my wife, LuAnne’s, top love languages are acts of service and words of affirmation. I feel most loved through words of affirmation and physical touch.)
On Valentine’s Day—and all throughout the year—we want our loved ones to feel loved! So, as faithful partners, let’s behave and speak in ways the speak THEIR LANGUAGE. We want to understand how THEY feel loved and then use THAT love language to convey our strong support. Commitment to this strategy can drastically improve the satisfaction levels of any relationship!
This year I really don’t care, sadly, who wins the Superbowl. But I do care if YOU feel like you’re winning in your key relationships. I do care if you feel like you’re being successful in obeying Jesus’ Command of loving others well in ways that really count in our lives. Rings sparkles. Dinners are delicious. But commit 15 minutes to understanding how you can enjoy your relationship more deeply for the rest of your life! Learn about the 5 Love Langauges!
Let us pray:
Dear God, you give us so many gifts. Out of the top three of faith, hope, and love (1 Corinthians 13), you tell us love is #1. Thanks for knowing each of us so well, that you love us in just the way we need. As we seek to be more like Jesus, help us figure out how our children, our friends, and especially our life partners FEEL and EXPERIENCE love from us. And give us the focus and smarts to share our love with them in words and deeds. Help us celebrate and maximize love with you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
