Communicating Love
"Acts" of Love have ways of communicating what people need to hear and see.
One of the "acts of love" is loving-kindness. This goes way beyond mere charity and includes many areas that resemble compassion, empathy, and self-sacrifice. We people are not usually willing to be unselfish, because somewhere along the line, we need to be compensated and seen for what we have done. That is an interesting position to be in. Would you agree?
Mercy and love together will almost always imply a deep, loyal, and compassionate form of love, often translated as "goodness". When we consider the Scriptures and the Fruit that derive from the Spirit of GOD, Goodness (in some translations) is listed and a requirement for those who say they have been changed and renewed by this same Spirit. I do recognize that for many, these Fruit seeds will take some time to show the sprouts, buds and flowers. Many a folk have been hurt so deeply, these may take a while to produce because of historical reasons.
Loving people is not an action because of a strong-arm making them do it. It goes far beyond performing a duty. It is not about fulfilling obligations but about going above and beyond in kindness and generosity. That is a good description of loving-kindness.
Let’s say, we are trying to describe GOD's Love and Faithfulness towards ALL of humanity. If we could somewhat illustrate that, we would then have to come up with the response we must have to one another—if we claim to be His children of faith and obedience.
In Biblical context, the model of "chesed (hesed)" is prominent all throughout the Scriptures. Actually, showing the Love of Messiah will come from the training that an obedient follower of Jesus would have learned from Him (and the Holy Spirit) and chooses to display and share.
Demonstrating loving-kindness (goodness) is the hands-on training known to enhance well-being, reduce stress, and increase self-acceptance and forgiveness. In principle, loving-kindness is akin to giving a mental hug to oneself and others. The term itself signifies the tender and benevolent affection that is not naturally found in people. Let the truth be told, it is sometimes a taxing adventure to find it at work in the people who have been renewed by His Spirit. Go figure!
The Goodness of the LORD, working through people can also be defined as the love and loyalty that should exist between them.
Example in Scripture: The Book of Ruth is a classic example of "chesed" in action, with Ruth's loyalty and devotion to Naomi being a powerful illustration of this concept.
While chesed sets its emphasis on action and loyalty, the word "ahavah" aims its concentration towards love in a more widespread sense, encompassing affection and emotional connection.
The Hebrew language has its roots in root words. The Hebrew word for love, "ahavah," is rooted in the word "hav" [to give], suggesting that giving and selflessness are central to the concept of love.