I met a new friend this week and as I observed how we interacted with each other and were learning about each other, I asked her how she liked to show and be shown love.
I explained to her that of the five love languages, mine was words of affirmation. I love to affirm others when I see them doing something well and in turn, loved to be affirmed as well.
Based on my observation of her, she might be both an acts of service and words of affirmation person. She did kind things for me, even though she hardly knew me, and then encouraged me to do something I’d only been thinking of, but wanting to do.
Yesterday, the New York Times published an article on Gary Chapman’s ’Five Love Languages’ – the very topic my friend and I had been discussing.
As I read my devotion this morning from Intouch, while it wasn’t specifically about love languages, it was the things we needed in a relationship (of any kind). Dr Stanley used the story of Moses when his arms needed to be held up by Aaron and Hur. When Moses’ arms got tired and weak, they began to lose the battle. When Aaron and Hur each held an arm up, they were able to be successful.
Sometimes we need others to hold us up when we are too weak to do it on our own. Sometimes we have to know which season we are in and ask for help, or allow others to help us.
This week, as my mother and our family laid my grandmother to rest, my mother’s best friend surprised her to be by her side. A friendship of over forty years, they have taken turns holding each other up when they have each needed. This has been a recipe for each of them feeling loved well when they needed.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for another glorious morning of being able to experience your love. Would you please give us the wisdom to know when we need to have our hands held up or when we need to be the ones holding up others?