Love in Action
My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
1 John 3:18
God is love. If you ever want to know what real love is, look at God. His grace, loving-kindness, tender mercies, longsuffering, goodness, and the willingness to forgive are expressions of His love. We can describe love, using various terms. We can tell people we love them in different ways, but love is best depicted in action.
One of the patriarchs gives a wonderful portrait of love. Joseph, one of the twelve sons of Jacob, was hated by his brothers. His father favored him over the others that led to a sibling conspiracy to kill him. The brothers sold him into slavery instead of killing him.
Joseph now serves in the house of Potiphar. The Lord was with him and gave him favor with Potiphar. Favor is a branch of God’s love. Joseph behaved him so well that Potiphar put him in charge of his house. Joseph continued to behave himself, honorably. When Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce him, he would not give in to her. He refused to have sex with her. He refused to sin against God (Genesis 39:9).
We can see that Joseph demonstrated love toward God by refusing her advances. He also showed love toward Potiphar. He faithfully served his master. There is love in service to others (Galatians 5:13). It’s love in terms of honor, respect and faithfulness.
Joseph also showed love to Potiphar’s wife. He could have had sex with her. Paul, who describes love very nicely, said love does not behave itself unseemly (1 Corinthians 13:5). If you research the word unseemly, it means unbecoming, indecent, and improper. Joseph was not improper or indecent towards her. That was an act of love.
Paul also said that love does not rejoice in iniquity (1 Corinthians 13:6). Another translation says it doesn’t take pleasure in wrongdoing. It would be wrong for Joseph to have sex with his master’s wife. His refusal was an expression of the God-kind of love.
Remember, he that dwells in love dwells in God, and God in him (1 John 4:16). Joseph chose to walk according to love or according to God. Many Old Testament examples portray New Testament revelations. Joseph served God to the best of his knowledge, and God was with him. His love and service to God, however, came with a price.
Potiphar’s wife accused him of impropriety and had him imprisoned. Here is a second event in which he did nothing wrong. But the Lord was with him, as well as His love. Joseph had favor with the warden and was put in charge of all the prisoners.
We’ll continue tomorrow to see more love in action and the blessing that comes with it.