10 | The Blue Um brella Jan- Feb
Love is...
What the Bible has to say
by M eghan J.
How m any t im es a day would you say you use t he word? love?? I t ' s probably pret t y safe t o say t hat we all use t he word several t im es a day, if not m ore. From proclaim ing our love for our fam ily and friends t o our love for t acos, t his word get s used fairly often. I t also get s t hrown ont o shirt s, signs, et c. I t ' s everywhere. However, it would seem t hat t he cont inual use of t he word has caused it t o becom e overused, a cliché even. I t ' s possible t hat wit h all of it s usage, we? ve lost t he t rue m eaning of t he word. This begs t he quest ion,? What does it t ruly m ean t o love som eone??
The best way t o answer t his quest ion is t o t urn t o t he Bible. While t here are m any passages in t he Bible about love, one of t he best ones t o t urn t o in order t o answer t he quest ion,? What is love?? is 1 Corint hians 13. 1 Corint hians 13:4- 7 act ually gives definit ions for what love is.
" Love i s pat i ent, love i s k i nd. I t does not envy, i t does not boast, i t i s not proud. I t does not di shonor ot hers, i t i s not self- seek i ng, i t i s not easi ly angered, i t k eeps no record of wrongs. Love does not deli ght i n evi l but rej oi ces i n t rut h. I t always prot ect s, always t rust s, always hopes, always perseveres."
These verses show us t hat love is so m uch m ore t han just a great affect ion for t acos. You don? t act ually? love? t acos. You m ay really, really like t acos, but you don? t love t acos because love is t reat ing ot hers t he way you want t o be t reat ed. To be pat ient wit h t hem, t o be kind t o t hem, t hat is love. Love is not just a feeling. Love is act ion.
Jesus showed us what t rue love is when He died on t he cross for us over 2,000 years ago. He was John 15:13 in act ion. John 15:13 says,? Great er love has no one t han t his: t o lay down one? s life for one? s friends.? Jesus showed t hat love is sacrifice. You can not t ruly love som eone wit hout sacrificing.
Now t his does not necessarily m ean t hat in order t o t ruly love som eone you have t o die for t hem. Basically, t o t ruly love som eone, you m ust die t o yourself by put t ing t hem before yourself. This is t rue love in act ion.
Next t im e you want t o show som eone your love for t hem don? t just say it, show it wit h your act ions.