What is Love?
Mark Twain once said, “Love is the beauty of the soul.” When I felt the joy of holding our newborns for the first time, kissing their little fingers and toes, I thought my heart would explode with love. This beauty of the soul is inexpressible and hard to define. We see it in the eyes of newlywed couples who can’t keep their eyes off each other and let go of one another’s hands. When I see older couples holding hands, I am thrilled to see the love they quietly express for one another. My husband and I have been married for over 50 years and were total opposites when we married. He was black and white on most things, and I was all color and coloring outside the lines. He was a clean freak, I wasn’t. He was up early; I was up late. But our strong love for God and one another has changed both of us to be more alike. Unselfish love is very powerful and changes us in the best ways.
Love is a noun meaning “strong affection for another arising out of a relationship or personal ties, warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion.” Love is also a verb meaning “to hold dear or cherish.” Love can surprise us. Love shows up in small things like an unexpected hug, phone call, or text from a friend, or your husband or child cleaning the dishes or running the vacuum. Unselfish love stirs deep emotion. Small ways of expressing love can mean just as much as big expressions. Sometimes it means taking time out of our busy lives to bless others; taking a day to sit with a friend or relative while they recover; throwing a party to bless someone; or just being a good listener. My daughter befriends widows and then calls, visits, and runs errands for them. Unselfish love brings meaning to our lives.
Jesus calls us to love as He loved. What examples of love He not only taught but he lived! His talk and His walk were in complete harmony. Once, he met a woman drawing water at a well at noon to avoid being ridiculed by women who came to the well early in the morning. He lovingly confronted her and gave her forgiveness and confidence that changed her life (John 4:1-42). While entering a village, Jesus met ten lepers. He understood their grief from being cast out and separated from their families and friends. Out of love, He healed them (Luke 17:11-19).
Jesus met Mary Magdalene on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee when she was battered, bruised, and suffering from demon possession. His love and compassion for her were limitless, and He healed her (Luke 8:1-2). After Mary’s deliverance, she followed Jesus throughout His ministry. She was present at the cross and the first to see Him after His resurrection. She was found weeping at the tomb when Jesus appeared to her and charged her to announce the Good News (John 20:1-18).
The word love is written 310 times in the Bible. The meaning of love is summarized in 1 John 4:7-8: “Dear Friend, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” It is easy to experience love for family, friends, and neighbors. But it is much more difficult to show love and empathy to those who don’t meet our standards. Once, a pastor dressed up as a homeless person and sat on a curb by the front door of his church. One by one, the members of his finely dressed congregation walked past him without stopping. The associate pastor spotted him and asked if he could help, but the head pastor shooed him away for fear of being recognized. After the church service began, the pastor walked in the front door, down the long aisle, and found a seat close to the front. People began to murmur. Those he sat beside felt uncomfortable and moved away. After the worship songs ended, the grungy-looking pastor slowly stood and walked to the platform. He did not say a word but looked out at the congregation. Then he took his dirty fake beard and wig off, unbuttoned his smelly jacket, and slid out of his muddy overalls to reveal clean clothes underneath. Then the pastor asked, “Did any of you stop to see if I was in need?” The sanctuary became still and silent. “If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?” (1 John 3:17 NIV). Is this how we treat others who don’t meet our standards? Jesus surely did not. He called fishermen and the lowly to surround Him. He loved without judging or criticizing. He set the example for all of us to follow. “Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love” (Ephesians 4:2 NLT).
The Lord’s love is all-encompassing, unconditional, and ever-present. He doesn’t set a standard for loving us. If He did, none of us would meet it. No matter what we do or how hard we fall, He never leaves us and never stops loving us. As Romans 8:38-39 says, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” No matter how we may fail or sin, Jesus will wrap His loving arms around us and hold us close, never letting go.
Let’s pray:
Lord, thank You for loving me and setting the example of true love. You have called me to love even the unloving, whether it is family, a personal acquaintance, a co-worker, or someone who has rejected me. I am asking You to help me look through Your eyes and see what You see in the people around me. I am asking for a convicted heart when I judge people who are different than me or difficult to love. You are the only One who truly knows them. I desire to be the example you set. I praise You, Lord, for not judging me but extending Your grace and mercy towards me. Help me also extend grace, kindness, and mercy, especially to those who see the world differently than I do. Amen.
