What does god say love is?

What is love? Love is an action based on a conscious decision to value others. There is more to love than you think. - central church cambridge. 

When was the last time you heard 1 Corinthians 13? Probably at a wedding, or in a movie.  But do you remember what those words mean and do you live your life valuing others in this way? 



We all have an opportunity to add more love in our lives, unlock the limitless possibilities from your heart in how you live your life everyday with love in it.  If you truly think about the words in 1 Corinthians 13, you will realize the deep rooted meaning behind each and every one of them. 

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When God shares with us what love is, he explains that without love, he is nothing. This is a very strong statement to say - that Love is even more powerful than hope and faith. How can God say without love he is nothing? Because God IS love. 
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Love is the foundation of all virtue. And with this article we hope to share how love is the north star we should all hope to live by. With that, we will bring ourselves closer to God. 

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If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing. - Corinthians 13: 1-3.

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WHAT LOVE IS  - AND -  WHAT LOVE IS NOT  -->  1 Corinthians 13: 4

LOVE IS PATIENT

• Definition: The definition of patience is: able to accept or tolerate delays, problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious.
• Real World Scenario: When we include love in our interactions with anyone, a friend, family member, spouse, we will not be annoyed easily or get angered easily if what they’re doing or saying doesn’t fit with what we want. 
• Why do this: You want to be patient with the ones you love because: 
  • Creates understanding: patience will allow you to hear what they are saying and have an understanding of where they are coming from and it will ultimately build on the relationship because that understanding comes through with patience. If you are just listening with a deaf ear as appeasement to the person, then you are not showing patience in your love. 
  • Deflects judgement: patience allows you to create a space that blocks you from forming any preconceived thoughts before giving yourself a chance to hear and learn through the conversation. 

LOVE IS KIND

• Definition: Kindness is selfless, compassionate and merciful - having or showing a friendly, generous and considerate nature - where considerate is being careful to not cause inconvenience or hurt to others. 
  
• Real World Scenario: In being kind, you can be friendly with someone, be generous and share something with them, whether it’s words, your time, or gifts, but if you’re not considerate then you’re failing in being kind. All three - friendly, generous and considerate, work together to be an example of kindness. 
  
• Why do this: in being kind to someone you are showing them you have a generous heart and are considerate of their feelings, which in turn makes them want to do the same for you and others. 
  

LOVE IS NOT ENVIOUS

• Definition: desire to have a quality, possession, or other desirable attribute belonging to (someone else).
  
• Real World Scenario: when you may be feeling envy without realizing it: 
  
  • When you see a couple that’s showing consideration, love and respect to each other and they look truly happy to be together, your first instinct is “it must be fake” and “they’re just acting”, because people want to have that in a relationship and those that don’t feel what they are witnessing start to believe that it can’t be real.
    
  • There are people that see others in a mansion and they are jealous because they can only afford a small house, or see a fancy car and they can’t afford a fancy car. 
    

There are so many ways we can all show envy, when instead we can be happy with what we have, or improve our own situation. 

• Why not do this: why not be envious of others? The 10th commandment says “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” Exodus 20:17.  When you are envious it causes a heaviness in our hearts, and we begin to have a thankless heart, and become greedy because we always want more than what we have. We may miss out on the blessings that are meant for us. Envy causes you to judge another person because now you dislike a person that may have something you do not have. Envy can cause malicious thoughts that distract you from your own life’s purpose towards peace and fulfillment. 
  

LOVE IS NOT BOASTFUL

• Definition: showing excessive pride and self-satisfaction in one's achievements, possessions, or abilities.
  
• Real World Scenario: When you talk about how much money you make, how much you have invested, how much your house cost, how fancy your car is, and the top of the line things you have at home, this is sharing your achievements for your own self-satisfaction. When you know a lot about a topic, this can lead to boasting just to show you know a lot about a certain topic. 
  
• Why not do this: In your boasting you can cause the other person to become envious of your achievements which can push that person away and make your relationships superficial. Have you ever heard of a rich man who says he is unsure who is his friend and who is not? Disingenuous people will be your friend for their own benefit.  If people got to know you without your things, you would know that that friendship is based on what they think of you and your heart,  and not your things, status or knowledge. 
  

LOVE IS NOT ARROGANT

• Definition: exaggerating a sense of one's own importance or abilities.
  
• Real World Scenario: when a person thinks they are never wrong, they have the answer to everything, or that they have become the victim of every scenario in their life. Arrogant people say they believe in humility but their life says they believe in arrogance. Humility speaks the truth. Arrogance negotiates honesty based on what's best for itself. ... People who use anger, bitterness, or feeling offended as fuel to speak the real truth are arrogant, not humble - by leadershipfreak.blog
  
• Why not do this: in your arrogance, you are unable to learn from the people around you, and we can all learn from everyone. Being arrogant keeps us from learning about ourselves too, and seeing our own shortcomings. We are all born sinners and we all do things wrong, but in our arrogance we stay sinners because we don’t want to believe we have done anything wrong. 
  

LOVE IS NOT RUDE

Let us be reminded of what rude is. In this world, we have become desensitized with rude behavior as normal expectancy, or as someone “expressing” themselves. This is far from Love: 

• Definition: offensively impolite or ill-mannered. Distorted or misrepresented nitpicking or faultfinding. Demeaning comments. Spiteful behavior. Invading another person’s personal space intentionally. 
  
• Real World Scenario: Angry outbursts. Verbal threats. Swearing. Pushing or throwing objects. Bullying. Intimidation. Threat/infliction of physical force or conduct. 
  
• Why not do this: Any type of rude behavior that influences the willingness of people to interact with you, will have them expect all encounters to be unpleasant or uncomfortable. Who wants to communicate with or be around someone that is rude? 
  

​It does not insist on its own way. It is not irritable or resentful. It does not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. Corinthians 13: 4


And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. Corinthians 13: 13. 

PRAYER

Dear Lord, 

I come before you, and ask for your guidance to bring love into my heart.

I feel I am expressing myself in a loving way, thinking in a loving way, and providing and giving in a loving way.

​But if I am not, please come into my heart and show me how to love the way you want me to so that my relationships, the way I value others and the way I value myself lives up to your word. 

Amen.