Blue Umbrella Official February 2017 issue | Page 11

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 .