“love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35
Love is a word thrown around so much it is made meaningless by the world. “I love pizza”. “I love that movie”, “I love hockey” and so on. This is the enemy using a language’s limitations to minimize a heroic virtue. At the same time, the enemy lessens love to just a word and lifts it to some high, unattainable prize that must be earned and gained.
The world poisons love by focusing first and foremost on meeting one’s own needs. Christ taught that love is not for the fulfillment of the self but for the Glory of God and the food of others. True love is selfless. It gives, it sacrifices, it dies to its own needs.
English easily minimizes what love means. Other languages capture different levels of love in various wording. Every language in earth has a word for love: Agape, philia, люблю, кохання, aimer. But, how many truly translate love in its truest meaning?
The Bible is the ultimate dictionary of what the meaning of Love truly is. In the New Testament and Christianity we see Love Himself. We witness the man Who is Love. Jesus Christ – “God is Love” 1 John 4:8. We see the God Who is Love.
If we want to learn to love, we have to first learn how to receive love. The Father through Jesus Christ gives us the opportunity to see self-giving live that doesn’t need to be earned. If you are a horrible sinner, or the worst of the worst, God the Father loves you the same as He loves the greatest of Saints. I know, I have been at the bottom of the sludgy pool of sinfulness. But, the Father came running for me, despite, or maybe because of where I was. He loves you so much that He left His Glorious Throne to come to the mud and mire of a sinful world to pull His child out.
“But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8
Jesus gives us so many blessings from His Passion and death. One of the greatest lessons is a love that does not need to be obtained. Simply ask Jesus to open your heart to the Love He freely gives. And, then, let it fly free from your soul. Capture others from love and most of all, teach yourself love at God’s level.
“Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13