Phot As Christians, knowing one’s love language allows us to better show the love that is freely given to us by our Creator

Are you a two? How about a six? What are your top five Clifton Strengths? We hear these questions way too often. Most of us know our Enneagram numbers and our strengths finder results, but we might struggle with our love languages. Along with all of the other personality tests out there, there’s one that helps explain how you personally give and receive love. 

The five love languages are: Words of affirmation, receiving gifts, acts of service, quality time, and physical touch. Recently, there has been a rise in the importance of knowing your love languages. Even though we do not like to box ourselves into these tests, each love language can help you gain a better understanding of the tangible ways in which we feel loved and seen by others. 

Depending on the translation, the word love comes up between 514 and 810 times in the Bible.  One mention of the word love comes in 1 John 4:19, “We love because He first loved us.” As Christians, it is essential to study its importance and how we can love each other better as disciples of Jesus. 

Giving and receiving love may look different for each person, but taking the love language test and reflecting on how you experience the feeling of love is a tactic to better understand the love that God has for us. 

Loving another person is not always easy, but when looking through the lens of how Jesus lived His life on earth, that extra effort is worth it. We are commanded in Matthew 22:36-40 to “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” God created love and learning how to best love one another is honoring the Lord because it has the power to grow His Kingdom.

Relating this Christian love back to the test is not a difficult task. Finding out how to give and receive love is important. This is especially true because each love language is different. 

Words of affirmation means that a person feels loved when they are affirmed verbally. Receiving gifts allows one to feel loved because they realize thought was put into them and the tangible act of receiving a gift makes them feel known, seen, and loved. People who feel loved by acts of service emphasize the importance of actions and how they speak louder than words in regards to love. Quality time is the language that allows someone to feel loved because another person gives them their time and undivided attention. Lastly, physical touch allows a person to feel loved with an intentional touch. 

These are then ranked, so you can find which love language is most important to you. You can figure out your love languages by taking the free test here.

There have been countless studies done, books written, podcasts recorded, YouTube videos made and information given on the topic of love languages.

Whether you take this test so they can learn more about how to better love your children, significant other, family, friends or yourself, I believe it is important to know so we can receive the love we deserve.

It can be so easy to pour out everything we have into those we love, but neglect ourselves in the process. Knowing our love languages allows for conversations to blossom centered around feeling worthy of being loved. 

Since everyone is different, these results can put into words the needs of those we genuinely love and care about and can provide guidance when navigating new, current or failing relationships. 

No matter who a person is, there is an innate desire to feel loved. I believe as Christians, knowing others and our own love languages, opens the door to show the love freely given by God that abides within us. 

Knowing what it truly means to love your neighbor as yourself entails taking that next step and diving deeper into what it looks like to give and receive love.