Is it This?.......Perhaps not
Rather I would say...
Love is not a thing but it is an idea.
Love is not any specific action but it is a condition or a state of being
Love is selfless
Love is the ability of one’s mind (thoughts), emotions, (feelings) and will (choice) to do all things in the best interest of the object of one’s love.
Love is very complex and has many faces. At its very heart love is selflessness. Love is not limited to any specific actions or thoughts but no loving thought or action would put me first. Love must look out for the better interest of the object loved not the lover. That being said I think there is a practical level of love and an ideal level of love.
Ideal love is when love has totally enraptured a person making their entire being loving. Ideal love is when a persons thoughts, feelings, actions have all been trained and disciplined to look out for the beloveds best interests instinctively. In ideal love there is no longer a conflict between loving someone or not, we will simply love them as Jesus did.
Practical love is what most people have, it is when someone is still divided between love and other things. Love may be in control of their desire so they may always want to help other people but their mind is still thinking only of themselves. Or perhaps they think they ought to help other people but they still hate the person and so they can not love them. Herein lies the complexity of love and all the different types of love. There are infinite possibilities for where love can be and how powerful its presence is in a person. And it becomes even more complicated when we have conflicting loves which is why loving God is the only thing worth doing because in loving God we will grow more like Him and in growing like Him we will automatically act in the best interest of all who we interact with. Our desires then shouldn’t be too love everyone rather it should be to love God if we can do that then loving others will be easy.
So that is love, an idea which can in its simplest form means to be looking out for the best interest of the beloved. It is neither tangible nor limited to any simple set of feelings thoughts or actions. It must be planted in us, nurtured and allowed to grow until it encompasses our being. It is not something we posses instinctively and it is not something which will just come about from being in the proper circumstances at the right time. It is hard and with all good things must be actively chosen until it becomes habitual.
Hmm. Good thoughts. And good point, we should be concentrating on loving God, and from that flows love of other people. I tend to forget that.
ReplyDeleteMan, I'm glad I don't live with that evil genius kid who looks like he's about to blow up the world. Oh, wait...
hahahahha!!! you guys were so cute! holy cow, what happened? haha! just kidding :P
ReplyDeletegood thoughts, very good thoughts. however, one thing...
"It is not something we posses instinctively ..."
maybe it was just the way I read it, but is that you saying we have to learn love? or that we aren't born with it? or...what? it's just a little unclear there, and I'm wondering what you meant by that
I mean that for love to be powerful in someones life that person must discipline themselves and seek after love. Love doesn't find you it must be sought.
ReplyDelete