When Gary Chapman penned The Five Love Languages its sweeping popularity paired with the effectiveness of his work embedded the concept of varying love styles deeply within our society, nearly making him a household name. His work on love then expanded to include love languages for children, teens, languages of apology, languages of communing with God, as well as other titles building upon the basic foundation of love.
When the entirety of scripture is examined it becomes apparent that not only is God’s love the most powerful emotive force in existence, it’s also the very foundation of the tapestry that He began weaving when He created the world. As followers of Christ our highest ambition is to embody and reflect this love to the world around us - from family and friends to acquaintances and even strangers.
In The Love as a Way of Life Chapman encouraged believers to put love in the center of their lives by developing the qualities of Kindness, Patience, Forgiveness, Courtesy, Humility, Generosity, and Honesty. The Love as a Way of Life Devotional, co-written by Elisa Stanford, provides 90 micro-devotionals to encourage and inspire Christians to develop each loving quality in their lives.
Each devotional segment includes a topical heading, scripture verse, illustration or personal anecdote and a practical action step or prayer. The anecdotes are drawn from scripture, Chapman’s life, those of notable Christians such as Mother Teresa, pastors, literary characters and many other sources. The action steps and prayers are practical, helpful ways to become mindful of the unloving behaviours we often exhibit, and provide encouragement to strive to more faithfully represent Christ’s love to others.
Each devotional is approximately two brief pages in length and is easily squeezed into the busiest schedule. To be honest, I kept my copy in the bathroom while I was reading it. It’s so simple to get in and out of a devotional segment in a matter of minutes, yet the insights stay with you throughout the day. I found myself continually asking if I was behaving in loving ways with my family, and asking God to reveal my weaknesses in each quality listed above. Even my husband (who is not an avid reader) found himself reading through the devotionals' short sessions and would then discuss the impact they made on him.
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