What do you mean when you say, “I love you?”

One thing we are all guilty of as a people is “we all say things we don’t mean” from time to time. I do it, you do it, and everyone does it. I however want us to realize words are so powerful that we cannot afford to keep saying things we don’t mean.

God created the entire universe with words. Words are that powerful. The Bible tells us death and life is in the power of the tongue. – Proverbs 18:21 and in Matthew 12:36 scripture says “I tell you that every idle word that men speak, they will give account of it in the Day of Judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

We have to learn to be so careful with our words because they carry such great weight. Since the day I read the above verse, I became extremely careful with what I say. We all need to grow to a point where we only say things we mean.

Someone recently asked me this question (what do you mean when you say I love you?) via www.ask.fm/emmasensation and I have been meaning to write about it for quite some time.

To begin, I would like us to consider what Jesus told his disciples and by extension all of us before He departed earth.  “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. -  John 13:34-35

From the above text, you’d realize that for the believer, love is not an option. It is a must, it is a command. God expects us to love (not only those that love us but) everyone including known enemies.

So when I was asked the question “what do you mean when you say I love you?” I had to think deep and by the way I’m such a deep thinker.

In our culture today, to say “I love you” at any level has become too easy. As a matter of fact, many people use this powerful phrase loosely. In effect, its true meaning has become so blurred.

Our confusion about “I love you” is complicated by our too casual use of the word "love." We love everything. We love shoes! We love Music! We love chocolate. And we love God. By the time we have finished loving everything, we are not even sure what the word means anymore.

And oftentimes, when some people say “I love you”, what they mean is, I love you but only until a newer, cooler, more comfortable friend comes along that I love more. Then my love moves on. This is often the case because many do not understand love in its proper context as God intended it.

In the Bible, 1Corinthians 13 to be precise, Love is defined in its purest, clearest and simplest term. And until we understand love the way God intended, we may not even be sure of what we mean when we say the phrase “I love you”.

When I say "I love you”, this is what I mean….

When I say “I love you”, I mean: I will be patient to you and I will be kind to you. I will not be envious of you, and never boast to you, and I will never be proud to you. I will not be rude or self-seeking. I will not be easily angered and will not keep record of your wrongs.

When I say "I love you," I mean: I will not delight in evil but I will rejoice with the truth. I will protect you and always trust you. I mean: I will always hope and persevere with you because this is what I love you means to me.

So people, the next time you want to use those very valuable words, understand what you are saying and please choose to live up to your words.

What do you mean when you say the “I love you?” 

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