By far, the most searched theological question on Google is “what is love?” Thankfully, as Christians, we have an awesome answer to that.
Love is a verb
True love focuses on action. It is not just a feeling or infatuation. While infatuation is self-centered, true love is focused outward. When we love someone, we serve them because we enjoy their personalities, looks, achievements and how they love us. In the Bible we find an even more powerful form of love. This is a love directed at those we do not find attractive, virtuous, or productive. It’s easy to love somebody who you enjoy and who loves you. It is more Christ-like to love unattractive, dishonorable, or unproductive people. The hardest task of all is to love people who hate you.
The Old Testament
The Old Testament can seem harsh and formal. They prayed with lots of ceremony. A system of sacrifices and rituals was the focal point of their relationship with God. God’s interaction with mankind can often seem brutal. So, where do we find the love of God in the Old Testament?
Jesus pulls the teaching of the Old Testament into the New Testament as the foundation on which everything is built. “You shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul and mind” is found both in Matthew 23:36 and Deuteronomy 6:5. “Love your neighbor as yourself” is found both in Matthew 22:39 and Leviticus 19:18. Jesus says in Matthew 22:40, that all of the law and words of the prophets are built on these two principles: love God and love people. If you get this right, everything else has a way of taking care of itself.
What does love look like
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 tells us what love looks like.
- love is patient
- love is kind, it does not envy
- it does not boast
- it is not proud
- it does not dishonor
- it is not self-seeking
- it is not easily angered
- it keeps no record of wrongs
- it does not delight in evil
- it delights in the truth
- it always protects
- it always trusts
- it always hopes
- it always perseveres
How can I love the unlovely?
Perhaps you’ve heard of something called agape love. This is love that does not originate from me, but rather I am able to love someone because God loves them. Jesus tells a story about the good Samaritan. In this story, a traveler loves and cares for someone who people hated. The Samaritans were a minority group that was persecuted in a racist way. Because of who their parents were, they were considered second-rate citizens. The good Samaritan invests his time, puts himself in danger, and pays money out of his pocket to care for an injured person abandoned along the road. Jesus tells the story when someone asks him “who is my neighbor?” Jesus wants us to treat people who are completely different from us with respect and love. The highest form of love is not to love someone who loves you. The highest form of love requires you to love someone because they are loved by God. Dear Jesus, help us to represent you well and to love people as you love them.
