What is love?
The age old question that so many of us want an answer to. Especially topical considering the many debates going on in the world today about marriage equality and what are we doing to others in the world today. The fighting over religious differences and whether we should let certain people into our country or not.
I think for some of us it’s easier to state what love isn’t. Love isn’t rejection. Love isn’t hurting someone (although love can hurt). Love isn’t ignoring someone. Love is not apathy or hatred. Love is not excluding someone based on race, religion, sex, gender, beliefs.
But, what, then, is love?
The Oxford English Dictionary defines love first as a noun:
- A strong feeling of affection
- A great interest or pleasure in something
- A person or thing that one loves
- In tennis a score of zero or nil (which in this context we can rule out)
Then as a verb:
- To feel deep affection for.
These dictionary definitions seem inadequate, though, don’t they? For those who describe actually feeling loved, or being in love or showing love, it’s so much more than that. So, what exactly is love?
Well, let me describe love to you in my words, based on my own experiences, through what I’ve read, watched, seen and lived.
Love is the mother who repeated the message at church to her deaf daughter so she could “hear” it.
Love is those who come alongside the homeless of our city.
Love is the father who wants to protect his daughter from a mother who cannot.
Love is staying by your partner’s side through sickness and uncertainty.
Love is the toddler who cares for her friends and looks to see why they are crying, even with no words available to them.
Love is a smile for a stranger even if you don’t feel like smiling.
Love is giving your time to another.
Love is the soldier who lay his life down for his country.
Love is forgiving someone even when they don’t deserve it.
Love is sharing. Love is generosity.
Love is helping someone else despite your own need.
Love is trusting someone else with your fragile heart, knowing that you can be hurt.
Love is a kind word to another.
Love is being present.
Love is serving others with no thought of what you might gain from it.
Love is God who sent His Son to die for us on a cross.
Love is God.
Love is.
Love is an action, it is something we do. It isn’t a feeling. Feelings are fleeting. True love is forever. It is something we do for others. And everyone needs love. Everyone. No exceptions.
I know this is something that’s difficult to fathom, especially if we think of some of the people in this world. Those who have perpetrated awful crimes on others. But, think of it in the light of love.
Put on glasses of love and you will see that they turned out that way because their own perspective of love was distorted, corrupted and they need love as much as we all do. Even if that means we forgive them for what they did….or not push or argue that they should have the death penalty. That would be loving them.
A hard concept, I know, but I think one of the reasons I personally do not agree with the death penalty.
Anyway, I sort of digressed from what I was talking about? Or perhaps not. Maybe the point I’m making here now is that to love is not always the easy response. And perhaps that’s why we always turn to other responses and reactions first. We fear that we do not know. And out of fear we react in negative ways. But, love is the proper reaction. It is what we are meant to do.
There is no fear in love. Perfect love drives out fear, as fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18.
So, then, this is what love is.
Love is a verb.
Love the people around you. Start with the people in your immediate surroundings. Your home, your workplace, your shopping centre, your frequent haunts. Sometimes that’s enough. Because your one act of love in one place can impact many so that they in turn can love those in their own world.
Start a love revolution.
Just.
Love.
Marly's World 