Page 131 - The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts

garage, mowing the grass, trimming the shrubs, raking the
leaves, dusting the blinds, walking the dog, changing the
cat’s litter box, and changing water in the goldfish bowl are
all acts of service. They require thought, planning, time,
effort, and energy. If done with a positive spirit, they are
indeed expressions of love.
Jesus Christ gave a simple but profound illustration of
expressing love by an act of service when He washed the
feet of His disciples. In a culture where people wore
sandals and walked on dirt streets, it was customary for the
servant of the household to wash the feet of guests as they
arrived. Jesus, who had instructed His disciples to love one
another, gave them an example of how to express that love
when He took a basin and a towel and proceeded to wash
1
their feet. After that simple expression of love, He
encouraged His disciples to follow His example.
Earlier in His life, Jesus had indicated that in His
kingdom those who would be great would be servants. In
most societies, those who are great lord it over those who
are small, but Jesus Christ said that those who are great
would serve others. The apostle Paul summarized that
philosophy when he said, “Serve one another in love.” 2

I discovered the impact of “acts of service” in the little
village of China Grove, North Carolina. China Grove sits in
central North Carolina, originally nestled in chinaberry trees,