What is Love Anyway?

I’ve been thinking about love lately.  Wondering if I really love those around me. Do I tell them? Do I show it?

Today love means so many different things. It’s thrown around so casually. If you believed the words you would think everyone loves everyone. Yet our actions so something so different.

Have we lost the true meaning of love? Have I lost the meaning of what it truly means to love? To love my brother’s and sister’s in Christ? To love my enemies?

They (whoever they are) say that love is an action. It’s a verb. We show love by how we treat one another. Really? Is that true? Id love is shown by action then lately I haven’t felt very loved. And quite honestly as I search my own heart I am not so sure I show love the way I should.

If I go to the Word and am reminded of what love is to look like. I must search my heart. My attitude. Is this the way I treat my brothers and sisters in the Lord? All of them? Even the ones who I might not agree with? Even the ones who have hurt me?

As I read the below list I quickly realize just how impossible it is. I can not love like this. At least on my own. It is only through Christ that I am able.

My love would be is selfish apart from His love in me. My love is often not only selfish but can be needy and demanding.

So with a grieved heart I read through this list and realize, again, my love is not what it should be. When I read what God says about love I realize it has NOTHING to do with me.

His kind of love is all about others. Giving them honor. Willing to serve, not be served. Love is about dying to my wants, needs and expectations.

Oh Jesus help me to die to self. To my expectations, my selfish desires. Help me to die to ME!

Our Father wants us to be devoted to one another.
We are to honor others above ourselves.
We are to live in harmony with all regardless of their social status.
We should stop passing judgment on one another.
We are to bring praise to God by accepting one another.
We should be united in mind and though.
We should be willing to serve one another.
We need to be humble, gentle, and patient with one another.
Be kind, compassionate and forgiving toward our brothers and sisters.
We should have a willingness to submit.
We should be willing to teach and admonish one another.
Encourage one another and lift up those in your church family.
Love one another, deeply from the heart.
Live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as family, be compassionate and humble.
Offer hospitality to one another without complaining.
Love one another....
Love one another....

(Rom 12:10,12:16,14:13; 1Co 1:10; Ga 5:13; Eph 4:2,4:32,5:21; Col 3:13,16; 1Th 5:11; Heb 10:25; 1Pe 1:22,3:8,4:9; 1Jo 3:11,4:12; 2Jo 1:5)