What is LOVE?

Love is a word we bandy around in a cavalier way.  We “love“, among other things, chocolate, Downton Abbey, Diet Coke, photography, baking, writing, traveling etc., etc.  In addition, we love our country, God and our families, not exactly in that order, but we do “love” a lot of stuff.  The Greeks, wiser folks than we, knew that one little word couldn’t possibly apply to all those situations, so they had several words: philios for the brotherly variety; eros for the romantic kind, storge covered love of family, and agape represented “true” love, and later the one we share with God.  Obviously, no matter how wonderful chocolate is, it doesn’t compare to the emotional love we experience for God, friends and family.

 Paul dissects the word, in this famous passage, allowing us to see the precious gem that God meant it to be. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. OK, with all the components out in the open, let’s see how we personally measure up in the LOVE department. Are you patient?  Wow, right off the bat, that’s a difficult one for most of us.  It’s way too easy to become exasperated, especially with the people we love the most, isn’t it?  We feel there’s no need to put on a smiley face mask and count to 10, but God says there’s every reason to do so.

  Next in line is kindness.  Ugh, another killer, especially when it’s paired with patience, but make nice even when you feel just the opposite. The list doesn’t get any easier when we realize that genuine love doesn’t envy.  Recently, one of my dearest friends shared with me that it was simple to cry with a hurting individual, but very difficult not to be jealous when confronted with another’s good fortune. On the opposite side,  real love doesn’t allow us to brag or boast about personal achievements, which will help us to keep our pride under control.  Are you squirming in your seat right about now?  I am.  As the pinching continues, the other facets of this brilliant jewel are revealed.  Love never dishonors, isn’t self-seeking, is not easily angered , and doesn’t keep records of wrongs done against us. And just when you thought there couldn’t possibly be any more adjectives, he adds a final flourish; Love protects, trusts, hopes, always perseveres, and finishes it off with LOVE NEVER FAILS. Love is the sea in which our spiritual boats sail, it keeps us afloat, even during those inevitable storms.

 Is it humanly possible to demonstrate that kind of love?  Humanly, no; supernaturally, YES.  Love is used 697 times in the NIV Bible, and is the foundation on which our relationships with both God and man are to be built.  I think it would behoove us all to memorize this definition, or at least post a copy in a visible place.  Remember we can do it, but only with his help and by following his example.  “We love because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:19.