As part of my course work for a university class that I am currently taking we had to study and apply the concepts from Gary Chapman's book The 5 Love Languages for the last two weeks. I had studied them before and have been using them in my own life and it was a great reminder that all of us need LOVE. Some might think that the whole idea of love language is
just a foolish idea and a great waste of time.
As for me I believe that everyone has a love language, it is the way we
most feel love. Every one of us is born with the need to
be loved. If the love comes in a different
way then the way we receive it we might not feel it, notice it or even
appreciate it. Of the many things
written in The Family: A Proclamation to
the World the over all message is LOVE.
It shows us Gods love for His children by providing them a plan that is
filled with His love. “God so loved the world, that he gave His
only begotten son.” We
have been commanded to learn to love as Christ loves us. He knows our individual love language and each of us can feel His divine love because He has learned how each of us feel and receive His
love.
In the proclamation it states, “Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for
each other and their children...teach them to love and serve one
another...Successful marriages are established and maintained on principles of
faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, LOVE....”
We also know that each of us is an unique individual with gifts and talents all
our own. So it stands to reason that
each one of us would receive and give love in a way that is part of us. If we are to truly learn to love others as Christ
loves us we much learn how another receives love. Call it a language or what
ever you want but each of us needs to understand the way others receive love so that we
might give and show them love the same as the Savior does for us. To me it seems selfish of a person to only give
love the way they expect to receive it and not learn how their spouse or children receive
it. It is my belief that learning to
give another love in their “language” might be hard, uncomfortable and awkward
and yet it is in the learning and in the sacrifice of putting ourselves in another viewpoint that the Lord
shows us His love, understanding and mercy.
I already knew what my love language was before the start of this project, but I took the test again just to see if things had changed. My results were both no and yes. I scored a 12, the highest in a category, for my main love language; Words of Affirmation. My second and third languages were switched this time, maybe do to age or sheer exhaustion of raising a family for the last 32 years. My second language is now Quality Time followed by Physical Touch. For the project I needed to have my husband and children take the test, and I guessed each one correctly including their spouses. I think it was because I have tried over the last several years to watch, listen, and be aware of how each one received loved. Relationships are very important to me, and some of that is due to the fact that I love half way around the world from families and friends that I love dearly. Money cannot buy love or relationships they take hard work, sacrifice and a willingness to listen and learn.
I belive that my live is richer, fuller and has more meaning when I give love to others the way that they receive it. I feel closer to the Lord when trying to share my love and in turn He shares His divine love with me.
For more information go to http://www.5lovelanguages.com , and take the quiz and find out for yourself and see if your life is not made better by loving others better.
