The word brings to mind hearts, pink, flowers, marriage, sex, kissing, passion, movies, ballads...feelings. I immediately think of feelings I have felt when I feel love. I think of how media has defined the meaning of love from birth. Is that all true? I think to an extent.
When I look up the definition of love in the dictionary it says, "a noun: a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person; a feeling of warm personal affection for another person; sexual passion or desire."
As a verb it says in the dictionary, "to have love or affection for; to have profoundly tender, passionate affection for,; to have a strong liking for; to need or require; to have sexual intercourse with."
Really? The very sounds almost exactly like the noun. Sounds like a whole bunch of feelings. I'm kind of shocked that is all the dictionary said. Feelings come and go. Anger, annoyance, grumpiness, happiness, passion...they all just come and go.
I am a christian. There is no hiding that. The bible's definition of love is probably something everyone has heard recited either in the movies, at church or most commonly, in a wedding. This definition is so overlooked. We know the words. Some of us know it by heart. But rarely do we live this definition of love. So often do we forget how to love. We rely on feeling it instead of doing it. We base our relationships off of feelings.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor other, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. (I Cor. 13:4-8)
These are verbs. These are actions. This is an action template for how to love. How to make it work through better and worse. Through good feelings and bad feelings.
This definition is real. I have been reading these words since I was a little girl. They still look very difficult to accomplish. This definition of love looks hard. It looks scary a bit scary honestly, because I am a sinner. I fail all the time at this type of love. I'm the most impatient person I know. I'm not always kind. It's really hard to not keep a record of wrongs. And I know I can be a selfish woman.
But God says this kind of love never fails. This is the kind of love I want in my life and in my family history.
I choose to pick my sinful self up each day and choose to love this way. I choose to fight for love as an action. I choose to rely on true love.
These are words we should write on our hearts. Put at the forefront of our minds. Last year on my wedding day, I vowed to spend my life striving to live this kind of love. Making a vow to someone is even more of a reason to make love my actions.
Love as an action is no easy task, but it is one that lasts and never fails.
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