What is LOVE? – an age-old question that has perplexed many generations; movies center around the premise of LOVE (for example: Love & Basketball and Tina Turner biopic: What’s Love Got to Do With It) songs have been written about this thing called LOVE…Let’s go back down memory lane: In 1966, a rising soul group with a raspy voiced lead singer – David Ruffin – sang these words: “I know you want to leave me, but I refuse to let you go; if I have to beg and plead for your sympathy I don’t mind, cause you mean that much to me…then he goes on to say: “But if I have to cry to keep you, I don’t mind weepin’ if it’ll keep you by my side”…What about this one? Let’s come up to the young adult generation: “Forever my lady, It’s like a dream…I’m holding you close; you’re keeping me warm, forever my lady; I say just what I mean”…
All of these songs have, in some way, directly or indirectly shaped some of our views on love. Even when explaining our basic views on love, relationships, and marriage you might find yourself referencing lyrics from popular songs: “Loving you, is easy cause you’re beautiful…” or something doesn’t work out the way we think it should…”that’s the way love goes”…
While all of these songs are beautiful and induce all sorts of emotion, they’ve only helped us master the eros or affectionate kind of love. Most often this is what we think about when we hear someone speak of love: how they make us feel, that warm fuzzy feeling or the euphoria and elation that comes along with it. But what about the Godly love we’re supposed to show to our brothers, sisters, and even those we’ve deemed our enemies? What does God say about (Agape) LOVE?
1 John 4:7-8:
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is (springs) from God; and he who loves [his fellowmen] is begotten (born) of God and is coming [progressively] to know and understand God [to perceive and recognize and get a better and clearer knowledge of Him].
He who does not love has not become acquainted with God [does not and never did know Him], for God is love.
Amplified Bible, 1987
In order to learn how to love:
- You must know God. Before one can understand LOVE, they must know LOVE…they must know the SOURCE of LOVE…God. God is synonymous with love. Form a relationship with Him…converse with Him and listen for answers…God is the creator, the originator, the inventor, the author of LOVE. How can one truly love if we don’t know God? In this instance, we’re not speaking of the Eros or intimate love; we’re talking about Agape, unconditional love. How do you show God you love Him? Obey His word; keep His Commandments. How do you know what His Word says? You have to read it, study, gain understanding, ask questions then apply it…Agape Love is a self-less love; it’s not concerned with what I get out of this, but it concerns itself with the well being of others. The greatest example of this is in John chapter 3 verse 16: For God so loved the World that He gave His ONLY begotten son, that WHOSOEVER believes in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life.
- Understand the command He gave – John 13:34-35 – 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Christ commanded us to love one another, regardless of others, or even our own idiosyncrasies, we are to love them…if we are to be disciples of Christ…we are to love like Christ…
- In knowing God (LOVE), you must understand The Conversion that takes place – 1 John 3:14 states: 14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death…Love allows for conversion from death to life…A spiritual death creates a separation from Christ who offers eternal life…when we learn how to love…and there is evidence of love your conversion (from death to life) is apparent.
- Love Covers ALL – Peter tells us in 1Peter 4:8 “Love covers a multitude of sins”…in researching we come to understand this scripture is not saying we have the power or authority cleanse and wash away sins, but God’s love (thru Jesus’ blood) for us can do that, but our love can certainly help another face, deal with and bear the burden of their sin and repent. Most of us tend to disregard others’ in their sin for fear of confrontation or that our own blemishes will be uncovered, but it’s time to be accountable. James 5:20 states “let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” The MSG translation states it like this: “My dear friends, if you know people who have wandered off from God’s truth, don’t write them off. Go after them. Get them back and you will have rescued precious lives from destruction and prevented an epidemic of wandering away from God.” Instead of coddling, upholding or overlooking the sin, help your brother and/or sister to see it (in LOVE) and aid them in being victorious in overcoming the sin.
- Once we begin to understand that love covers all, your perspective changes; Love calls for you to be compassionate in your urging for one to turn away from sin.
- You can’t LOVE on your own strength – Paul gives us a vivid description of LOVE and what LOVE is in 1 Corinthians 13:
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails
By nature, we aren’t patient; we are jealous, boastful, and proud people…It is through God and the guiding of the Holy Spirit that we are able to show unconditional love…it’s not until we tap into HIM that we are able to exercise love properly.
Look at it this way, you have an area of your home that has a putrid smell…you spray air-freshener to cover the smell; essentially all you’ve created is a “sweet funk”. It’s not until you enlist the assistance of a professional to either clean the carpet, change air filters, complete a deep cleaning, check pipes, etc. Just as it is with us, we should enlist the help of our Father (and the Holy Spirit) to drive out the stench of sin thru His love.
Too often people come to church broken, hurt, lost, and confused and they leave even more broken, hurt, lost and confused, either because we don’t know how or we choose not to love them properly. If we’re honest with ourselves, not all the time is it because we don’t know what to do, most times, it just because we don’t feel like it or we simply don’t want to.
We treat others with judgment and disdain when they’re already hurting and/or suffering through life’s circumstances and situations. Some of us have become experts at ignoring others and their issues or we make our own assumptions about what their issues are. God has called us to do more…Just as we read earlier LOVE COVERS a multitude of SINS. MORE is what He’s asking for…no vacations…Ministry is 24/7…if He has called you to be an intercessor, then you are on-call at ALL times…we don’t pick and choose when we intercede for others…If you’re led and He’s called you to be an usher…you hold your post at all costs. WHATEVER YOUR POST, your POST should never unmanned; what if the person you were supposed to intercede for, greet, minister to, speak to never hears what God has given you?
So I pose my original question, again: What is LOVE?
Love is…Praying and interceding on behalf of your brother, your sister, or your enemy…
Love is…covering your sister, your brother, your son, your daughter, your Pastor…
Love is…not exposing others’ faults while you hide YOUR OWN
LOVE is NOT killing me when I didn’t deserve to live…
LOVE is not exposing me when I was out doing my dirt…
LOVE is unselfishly sending your son to be brutalized, tortured, ostracized, ridiculed, beaten, bruised, lied on, talked about, mistreated, and betrayed
LOVE is staying on the cross; being left to die…
Love is RISING on the 3rd day just to save an unworthy, undeserving, filthy sinner just like you and I…
UnShaded Revelations 
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