Hundreds of years ago, Shakespeare wrote this timeless wisdom: “They do not love, that do not show their love.”[1] Yes, love is a feeling, an emotion, a noun. But even more, love is a verb, an action, a decision. Feelings may come and go, but actions—serving, sacrificing, expressing love—can support those feelings as the years unfold. Our actions show the depth and meaning of our love; they give substance to our feelings. And they help us remain steadfast and true.
So, what are the actions that express our love? How can we turn the love we feel into love we show? There are as many ways to show love as there are people.
Middle-aged man #1 – “I try to tell my wife I love her regularly, but even more I try to show her by treating her as an equal partner in the home. I always try to put her needs first. Life can sometimes be so crazy, but I try not to let that craziness take priority over my commitment to my wife.”
Middle-aged woman #2 – “I like to make special dinners for my children with some of their favorite foods. It shows them that I’m thinking about them and what they like. Or I send them handmade cards in the mail. I know it sounds simple, but when they can see that I’ve put a lot of effort into something for them, they know that they’re important to me.”
Young adult #3 – “I try to let my parents know that I love and appreciate them by being grateful and by helping them without being asked. Whenever I do that, I become even more aware of everything they do for me, and my love for them grows!
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On another occasion, Shakespeare called love “an ever-fixed mark that looks on tempests and is never shaken.”[2]
True love, selfless love, does not wither as life becomes more complex and difficult. If anything, the roots and branches of our love grow deeper and wider with each shared experience—even unexpected or challenging experiences.
This kind of love is the most enduring and most needed power in the universe. Of course, like anything of great value, love does not bloom overnight. Love grows to its full beauty gradually. It takes time, but love is undaunted, because, as the Apostle Paul taught, love “beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things … [and] never faileth” (1 Corinthians 13:7-8).
Couple in their 30s or 40s #1 – “Neither of us is perfect; we know that. And so, we try to give each other room to grow and change over the years.” Other: “And forgiveness and understanding have helped us a lot through hard times.”
Older man and woman sitting together #2 — “We’ve been married for almost 50 years. It hasn’t always been easy, but when we got married, we made a commitment to one another that nurturing our love would be worth any effort.” Other: “And we committed to just be patient and kind to one another, with a good sense of humor. That’s made all the difference.”
[1] William Shakespeare, Two Gentlemen of Verona, act 1, scene 2, line 31.
[2] Shakespeare, “Sonnet 116” (1609).
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March 20, 2022
Broadcast Number 4,827
The Tabernacle Choir
Orchestra at Temple Square
Conductor
Mack Wilberg
Organist
Andrew Unsworth
Host
Lloyd Newell
All Creatures of Our God and King
German Hymn Tune; arr. Mack Wilberg
Look at the World
John Rutter
Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring
Johann Sebastian Bach; arr. Andrew Unsworth
The Lord My Pasture Will Prepare
Dimitri Bortniansky; arr. Mack Wilberg
Where Love is
Joanne Bushman Doxey & Marjorie Castleton; arr. Sam Cardon
Lift Up Your Hearts
Traditional; arr. Mack Wilberg