Definition of Love

1 Corinthians 13:1, If i speak in the tongues of man and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 


          "Love"
The most heard of word, but the most underused word in existence. Heard all the time at the end of phone conversations, in advertisements, everywhere! The word is used very loosely and often times is not meant. On the other hand, most children have never even heard their parents say "I love you" to them. People just want to be loved, but there is so much fake love around, it is hard to find such. Also, it is hard to give real love when we are around a generation of "love" all the time. Love today means someone saying "I love you dear" and then proceeding to walk off with someone else and gossip about the person they just said I love you to. Love today means saying to someone's face, "I just love you!" And then later in the day not forgiving the person for something that they said later on in the day that hurt them. Then they text everyone and tell them of the injustice. I don't know about you, but this kind of love seems shallow and fleeting. Is this just me?

The bible is very clear about how we are to love each other. Let's look into it. 1 Corinthians 13-4-7 says that Love is:

*Patient
*Kind
*Does not envy
*Does not boast
*Is not proud
*Is not rude
*Is not self seeking
*Is not easily angered
*It keeps no record of wrongs
*Loved does not delight in Evil
*Rejoices with the truth
*Protects
*Trusts
*Hopes
*Perseveres
*NEVER Fails

Wow, that is a tall order to live up to. I don't know of anyone who can live up to all of those all of the time on their own. But you know when we call on the name of the Lord, he will come to our rescue. He delights in the child that asks for his goodness. He rejoices when we hunger to have his love. He longs to give us his love. It doesn't matter if you have a hard time loving people! It doesn't matter if you can't forgive someone. You can still have love. You will learn to forgive that person. It may take some time, but the Lord will help you if you are truly serious about following him in love.

But you can't just pray that the Lord will give you love and not practice. You have to practice this. It's tough, difficult and sometimes torturous to let things slide off your back, but you will be SO happy that you did it in the long run. When you practice, try not to gossip. Decide in your heart in the mornings that you will not gossip today. Purpose to keep your talk praising to God and not negative about people. Practice, practice, practice! You may fail, because you are a human, but don't just say, "I'm human, and we gossip sometimes." Do not do that. Say, "Forgive me Lord for displeasing you. I repent of what I have done." And go and apologize to the person that you gossiped to whether they started it or not. This will show them, that you are trying not to gossip and maybe it will stop them from doing so as well.

Forgive faults quickly! Let things slide. Pray! Prayer to the Lord will get rid of offense quickly. Spend time in the word when you are hurt, or write down bible verses about offense and read them when you are hurt with someone. Say in your heart, "I forgive you" to the person. They most likely don't know that they hurt you and you are not doing any good keeping it in your heart. It will only fester and turn you into a not so very nice person. Just realize that you don't know the circumstances in their life at that moment in time, and they could be saying rude things to cover the hurt inside of them. Be there for them, and pray for them.

"Love always perseveres.... Love never ends." These two are like closers. All of those things in the list we should do with perseverance that never ends. Follow that person that pushes you away and love them. Pray for them all the time. Pray for unending love for that person. Fast for them. Do things in a right heart. Not just because I said so. Do it because you know that this is what the Lord delights in, and you want to be just like him. Keep on loving.


~Whatsoever things are true
Philippians 4:8