Love is a complex emotion that often defies definition. It can take many forms and can mean different things to different people. It can range from a deep, passionate love, to a more casual, friendship-based love. It can be the love between family members or friends, romantic love, or even the love of a pet. Despite its complexity, love is often described as a strong, positive emotion that is characterized by feelings of kindness, compassion, and affection. It can bring people together and can be a source of joy, comfort, and security. Love has the power to bring out the best in us, to make us feel connected, and to strengthen our relationships. Ultimately, it is a force that is deeply personal and unique to each individual.
That was AI’s definition of love. Interesting, right? Want to see something really strange? Check this out…
Love is an emotion that has been celebrated and explored throughout time and in different cultures. In ancient Greece, love was seen as the union of two souls and the ultimate goal of life. It was believed that the soul was composed of three parts: eros (romantic love), philia (friendship and loyalty), and agape (unconditional love). Eros was a passionate and physical love, symbolized by Aphrodite, the goddess of love. Philia was a strong bond of loyalty and friendship, and was represented by the god Apollo. Agape was a selfless, unconditional love, and was associated with the goddess Athena. These three forms of love were seen as the cornerstones of life in ancient Greece, and the ultimate goal of a happy and fulfilling life was to find a perfect balance of all three.
Again, AI’s explanation of the Greek words for love and their origin. A great reminder that satan has NOTHING original; he only counterfeits what God creates.
Most people would probably answer about the same way I imagine. We say we “love” lots of things. The truth is we really don’t enter into “love” with something that doesn’t love us back. For instance, I have said “I love coffee!” and “I love Gus’s fried chicken!” Is that really love? No. Not in the sense of the real definition of the word.
In this month’s blog, I want to drill down a bit deeper into what God says love is. We know the world defines it as a strong emotion, but that’s not all it is. Emotions are subject to our will. We choose them. We allow them. For example, we can choose to get angry or we can allow fear to keep us prisoner. If we just lump love into the list of all the other emotions, we strip it of its power to not only affect our lives but to change us eternally.
Love isn’t just something God feels towards us, it’s actually Who He is. God is love (1 John 4:16) Love is an action. Love is what caused Jesus to embrace the cross and love is what kept Him there. Love is sacrificial. It puts others first. Love is generous; it looks for ways to give of itself. 1 Corinthians 13 is the great chapter of love:
If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
Verse 13 sums it up:
Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. I remember asking God one time why was love the greatest? I would have thought that faith would have been. He answered me with Galatians 5:6, “what is important is faith expressing itself through love.” He said, “Judy without love, your faith is useless and you have no hope.”
If February is the month of love, then let’s celebrate the true meaning of it! Keeping a healthy love walk should be a priority for every serious Christian. The Bible says in John 13:35, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
Blessings,