Filling the Tank

We all have our love languages. The five possible ones are touch, quality time, acts of service, words of affirmation, and gifts. I listed them in my own personal order, from greatest to least. The love languages are the way we usually show love to each other because it's how we want love shown to us.

The problem is that, unless we know the primary love languages (usually top two, but can be top three) of the person we're dealing with, our signs of love may be completely disregarded. For example, if someone gives me a gift, sure, I appreciate it and say thank you, but I don't get all warm and fuzzy inside. It's the same when someone gives me a compliment. It makes me feel a little better, but not all that much. In turn, it means I'm less likely to care about giving others gifts unless I have to think hard about them or put time into them (which makes them partially quality time gifts) and not as likely to give compliments.

But that's not the point of this posting. We all need our love tanks filled, and very regularly, too. We need them filled because, like the gas tank in your car, they run empty. Much as we want to, we can't love others endlessly without getting some love back. Let's face it: loving each other is draining, especially when that love is unrequited, sometimes without so much as a thank you or smile.

And my question is why we seek our love mostly from each other. For those whose top love language is touch, I can understand it a little because God is not a physical Being, but if you want words of affirmation, look at Philippians 1:6 & 4:13, II Timothy 1:7, Jeremiah 1:5, and Luke 12:6-7, for starters.

If gifts get you excited, how about John 3:16? Gifts don't GET any bigger than that! Then there's God giving us eternal life, all the blessings that He continues to rain down on us (that we all too often take for granted), and the opportunity to know Him personally. "Ask and you shall receive, that your joy may be full."

If quality time is your top love language, how can Heaven not excite you? It's an eternity to get to be with God! The streets may be of gold, but that's not the treasure of Heaven. The treasure of Heaven is His presence. And before Heaven, we can go to Him at any time with our needs and cares and He'll always listen patiently to us, anytime, day or night, even after we've just walked away from Him.

Lastly, if your love language is service, think of the service Jesus did for you on the cross. Consider Matthew 11:30 and Hebrews 13:5. Consider all the miracles Jesus did for people and that he is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He wants to do the same for you, according to your faith and His perfect will.

The Bible tells us to forsake not the gathering of ourselves together, and I believe that's as much so we can fill each other's love tanks as it is to sharpen each other. I think it's not good for us to be single for the rest of our lives unless specifically called to be, not just so we can have kids and raise them up to follow God and help each other draw closer to God, but also to show each other love and fill each other's tanks. God knows that we'll never be so close to Him on this world that we don't need each other, too. But try to think about how you can lean more on God and get Him to fill your love tank. Four of the five are covered exceptionally well by the Bible, so your primary or secondary language (and likely, both) are amply provided for. Lean more on Him and you'll find you need to lean on others less. You'll be the one pouring out the love because your love tank will be spilling over.