Webster: 1 a : strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties 2 : warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion 4 a : unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another
God:
Love is: 1. patient 2. kind
Love does not 1. envy 2. boast 3. keep records of wrongs 4. delight in evil
Love is not 1. proud 2. rude 3. self-seeking 4. easily angered 5. failing
Love always: 1. rejoices with truth 2. protects 3. trusts 4. hopes 5. perseveres
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Webster defines the shallow, emotional feelings of love. God defines the selfless attitude of someone who posses real love. Not saying that emotional/physical love isn't real. God created men and women to be attracted to each other at some point in life. It is a beautiful thing...if you guard your love so you can give it fully to one person at the right time. But would you rather give "strong affection, warm attachment, enthusiasm" or patience, kindness, humility, trust, hope, perseverance, protection, calm, forgiveness. The other things are side notes. Things to enjoy. Yes, we want to give enthusiasm, affection, and warm attachment to those we love. They won't feel very loved if that's all we give them though. If behind their backs we are keeping records of all things they do against us, delighting in whispering bad things about them, leaving them in the dust when trouble comes, and giving up on them. God's things must come first, from the heart, then we can add Mr. Webster's things on the side. :)
One of my favorite chapters in the Bible:
1 Corinthians 13
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
For we know in part and we prophesy in part,
but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.
Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Well put.
ReplyDeleteI think Webster's last definition is actually a pretty good summary of the kind of love God's talking about (but less eloquent, of course).