What is love?

“4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails.”

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

What is love? Sure we celebrate the idea of love and can even recite some of the most heart warming quotes from special occasions such as weddings, anniversaries and Valentines. But what do we really know about love? The answer to this question can be simple or complex depending on your definition. If we look to the Bible, Jesus tells us that love is the greatest commandment, love God and then others (Matthew 22:37-39). OK I get it, love is really, really important but what is it?  In 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Jesus explains just this. In reading the verse above we clearly see the power and the depth of loves definition and how seemingly impossible it is to live up to. Love is patient, kind and not easily angered… are you kidding me? I know I have failed to love as completely and purely as Jesus intended and even been the recipient of several failed attempts. So then why do we proclaim love so easily and continue to fail to demonstrate real love to one another? I have come to understand that love, real love, is only possible through the only source of love. This is God Himself! 1 John 4:8, says, “⁸ Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” Love is everything and it is the power that reveals God in and through us, but we can not release it without first receiving it (1 John 4:19). There is no better demonstration of this then in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” This verse helped me realize that His love did not depend on me at all and that He loved me, because that is who He is. Allowing this into my life and my heart changed everything for me and it can for you as well. Love is action and God demonstrated that through Jesus. This love is for you and me, and is free and everlasting ( Psalm 136:1 ). God’s love changes us and never fails us (1 Corinthians 13:8). This is the true meaning of love! Let us live out loud revealing God’s love within us!