“But wer’e in love!” “He told me that he loves me!” “I love that about you!” “I would love you more if you just…”
I think we have all heard these statements before. They pretty much ring through almost every secular song, commercial, tv show, and movie. Commericals even advertise that you can get a date if you wear their lotion! OK, that is just a bit ridiculous if you ask me! But, in all honesty, we are in a generation seeking l-o-v-e.
I know that there are many different “forms” of love, but I can’t help but wonder, what is love? Most of the time I think of the mushy-were-together-forever kind of love, but is that true love?
This is seriouly a great question to think about and research, so, of course, I looked up the meaning of love….
- A profoundly tender, affectionate passion for another person.
- A feeling of warm, personal attachment.
- Sexual passion or desire.
- A strong, positive emotion of regard and affection.
OK, so Mr. Webster didn’t help me out too much there. Is love really that broad? I think love is a little bit simpler than all of that! So, what did I consult next? Google, of course!
- Alrighty, there are 2,370,000,000 results!
I think that Google’s definition(s) of love are even more broad! I don’t even know where to start looking! So now I am going to check out the most important definition of love. This definition comes from the Creator of love, so I am pretty sure He knows exactly what it is!
According to God’s Word, 1 Corinthians 13 says, “Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut, Doesn’t have a swelled head, Doesn’t force itself on others, Isn’t always “me first,” Doesn’t fly off the handle, Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, Doesn’t revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end.”
Wow, that is extremely deep, yet really simple too. So basically, God defines “love” as a person who cares so much about the well-being of others that the cultural lies of “me first” never even seem to surface. That is actually pretty tough. Webster’s definitions were a lot easier than this! Mr. Webster merely defined love as a passion, and most of the time sexual, for another person. That is easy to do. We all long for relationships with others–especially those of dating relationships. But what God tells us about love isn’t all that easy.
Following God isn’t easy, just like true love isn’t easy. But which version of love is more worthwhile? Webster’s temporary love that has shifting passions? Or God’s love that only thinks about you rather than Himself? I would say that God’s love is stronger–anyone who cares about me more than themselves is showing me true love. How am I doing that for other people today? I want to be a true lover–a person who loves others unconditionally because I am thinking of their needs rather than my own. Wow, God set up a pretty cool model for us to follow. He has even already shown us the greatest example of love in that He loved us so much that He sent His only Son to die for you and for me. Now that is what I call true love. . . .
