January 21, 2023 / 5 Minute Read
show me love
And money ain’t nothing, there’s people who happy in love and behind on they bill.
And they ain’t paid they mortgage in years.
21 Savage
I was inspired to write this article due to the decrepit state of modern love.
The divorce rate is astronomical, STDs are rampant, and our celebrity idols switch partners like they switch clothes.
As the Bible foretold, because iniquity abounds, the love of many has waxed cold (Matthew 24:12).
Dictionary.com defines love as:
A profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.
A feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend.
Sexual passion or desire.
Via: https://www.dictionary.com/browse/love
In my view, this sounds like being “in love” as opposed to love itself.
Now I know what you’re thinking.
Aren’t they the same thing?
Actually, they aren’t.
Being In love is more like infatuation, or in simpler terms, lust. It’s the honeymoon phase.
But what happens when the honeymoon is over?
What happens when people fall out of love?
They break up.
They separate.
They abandon each other.
The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.
Deuteronomy 31:8
But that’s not what God would do.
God would never abandon us.
And God is love.
Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
1 John 4:8
Throughout this article we will explore the true, biblical definition of love, and how to apply it in our daily lives.
what is love?
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.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
So how exactly does the Bible define love?
I believe there are five key aspects of biblical love.
sacrifice
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.
1 John 3:16
As Sam Witwicky once said, “No sacrifice, No victory.”
We all must make sacrifices for those we love. We owe it to them to be the best versions of ourselves, and to achieve our greatest potential, we must lay down our life of sin.
Are you willing to sacrifice for your loved ones?
action
Let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and truth.
1 John 3:18
Actions speak louder than words.
Love is meaningless without actions to validate it. If you truly love someone, show them through your actions, not empty words.
Are you willing to show your love through actions?
obedience
This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome. He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me.
1 John 5:3/John 14:21
Most people are self-serving. They lack self-awareness and compassion which prevents them from seeing the consequences their actions have on others.
Don’t be that person.
We all have boundaries and standards that we expect a potential partner to honor. If your wife wants to spend time with you, be obedient. If your husband doesn’t want you going to the club in that tight dress, be obedient!
Are you willing to be obedient to those you love?
chastisement
For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.
Hebrews 12:6
True love is not without chastisement and correction.
All of us have flaws and shortcomings. All of us stray from the path of righteousness at some point or another.
A true lover, a true shepherd, would not allow his sheep to go astray. He would bring them home. He would call them out on their sin and help them to repent.
Are you willing to chastise those you love?
servitude
Jesus knew that the Father had given Him authority over everything and that He had come from God and would return to God. So He got up from the table, took off His robe, wrapped a towel around His waist, and poured water into a basin. Then He began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel He had around Him…. “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.”
John 13:3-5, 34
Again, most people are selfish, expecting praise and service from others, while giving nothing in return.
True love includes the ability and willingness to serve. To treat others as you wish to be treated. To love others as God loves us.
Are you willing to serve those you love?
We all want to be loved.
However, to be loved, we must first learn to show love. By embracing the five biblical love languages, we can serve as the true reflections of our Father we were always meant to be.
Did God himself not show us love when He sacrificed his only Son for our sakes?
When He washed the feet of His apostles?
When He chastised David for adultery?
When He continuously forgave us after our exodus from Egypt?
When He faithfully kept the covenant, even after our continued disobedience?
Bye chance.
references
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/love
https://allendalebaptist.org/love-definition-bible
https://www.cru.org/us/en/train-and-grow/spiritual-growth/gods-love-scriptures.html
by chance 