Love Defined

Good morning and welcome to Our Daily Walk.

Audio version at http://tinyurl.com/2m9lnh

The young girl arrived home after school and walked past her mother with a glazed over look on her face. The mother followed the girl into her room and asked what was wrong. The girl replied, “I’m in love.” “Oh you are?” said the mother. “Well, can you tell me about it?” As the girl tries to put her feelings into words she stammers about. “Well, it’s like, I mean, uh, it’s really hard to put into words, mom.” Love can be so hard to define.

I’m sure that most of us would be well aware of a dictionary definition of love. But when love is experienced it really can’t be put into words so easily.

Love is special, wonderful, and desirable. Love is a goal of many people and rightfully so.

Listen to how Paul defines love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.

Love must be a very important thing to have so much power. Let’s consider a few of these points.

Paul begins with saying love is patient and is kind. Expressing our love to someone means that we resist jumping to conclusions, running out of patience or behaving unkindly. Sometimes it takes years for behaviors to change or for other goals to be reached. Love allows for longsuffering during this time because the goal is worth the wait.

Next Paul defines love in the negative—things that love does not do. Love does not show itself off or walk around arrogantly. These are self-centered actions which would be out of place with love.

Love also does not behave rudely. How many times have you witnessed someone act rudely to someone they really should love? That is out of place, out of character with love. Real love will not allow for such behavior. Real love will correct with compassion when needed but will not rudely retaliate.

Love does not seek after its own. Love looks out for the interests of others above self. Many problems in marriages today are the result of misplaces priorities. If the couples would put the interests of their spouse above their own many problems would cease to exist.

Love is not easily provoked into a dispute or anger. Some people appear always ready for a fight. But not so with love in the equation. Love is a cure for short fused tempers.

Love thinks no evil, nor does it rejoice in sin, but rather in truth. Love does not feed on gossip, but grows on good news. Love is looking to build up others, not tear them down.

Love also bears, believes, hopes and endures all things. Friends, love is indispensable. Love never fails!

Paul concludes that great chapter on love with the following in verse 13. “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

On Our Daily Walk today, may we take some time and contemplate if our love for one another fits the qualities that Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 13. And as we do so, may we seek ways to improve, enhance and fortify the love that we possess.

Our thought for the day: “Love looks through a telescope; envy through a microscope.”

May God bless you on your daily walk.

© Our Daily Walk, Mike Baker, 2007. Permission is granted to copy these articles provided they are not sold and the author's name and copyright are included.