What is love? Everybody uses the word “love” in daily conversations. There are millions of movies and songs based on love, but do we really know what it is?
Here are some Greek definitions of love:
Eros: romantic love of passion, physical longing, deep intensity, and intimacy. Often initial love that attracts a couple. Attracted to what it finds desirable, or beautiful–often knowing no limits and searching without satisfaction through many objects of desire.
Philios: characterized by sharing, companionship and shared values, it exemplifies friendship-based and brotherly love. It is more comprehensive and less self-seeking than eros.
Storge: family love between parent/child or between two incredibly close people. It is instinctive, and does not need to be requited.
Agape: considered purest, most comprehensive and most mysterious form of love, which loves unconditionally. Agape dissolves our separateness from God, others, and ourselves, as instead of seeking the security and consolation of seeking to be loved, we are love. Agape is the love of altruism, of giving without asking anything in return.
A famous Bible verse in 1 Corinthians 13 states other qualities of love:
Love is patient; love is kind. Love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way: it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.
So how do we attract love into our lives? We get love by giving love, for as we give, so do we receive. Life is a mirror and will reflect back to us what we put out. Want more love in your life? Then I invite you to demonstrate to a friend or family member real AGAPE love. Call someone up for no other reason than to tell them you love them.
LOVE IS PATIENT: Imagine for a moment what patience could do in your life? What would your home be like if everyone had great patience? What would the world be like if all people had patience with each other? What is love? Love is Patience and it begins with each of us.
LOVE IS KIND.
Kindness is directly connected to patience. Patience endures injuries and insults and kindness pays them back with good deeds and kind actions. In Greek the word kindness means “useful.” Love is kind means we express God by being kind, by being useful and of benefit to others.
“Who is born of love is born of God for God is Love.”
