How do you define love? I’m no prophet, but I say with a high degree of certainty, no one reading this article answered in their mind: Love is a box of chocolates and teddy bear holding a red heart. Much of what commercial enterprises present as love are not really love at all.
God is the greatest answer to the question, “What is love?” 1 John 4:8 says, “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” To appreciate the answer to the question, we must also have an understanding of who God is. People often make gods, or even the God of the Bible, into their own image. The Bible tells us, however, how we may know the God who gave it: No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known (John 1:18).
We will know love when we know the person of Jesus Christ. A sampling of His recorded actions provides us with a good starting point of not only what love is, but also how we can love God and one another.
- He walked in humility (John 13:1–17; Phil. 2:1–8).
- He obeyed His parents (Luke 2:51).
- He had compassion on others (Matt. 9:36).
- He declared the truth with clarity and kindness (John 4:16–30).
- He patiently bore the shortcomings of others (John 18:10–11).
- He spent time with others (Mark 6:31).
- He held children and laid His hands on the sick (Mark 10:13–16; Matthew 8:1–3).
- He forgave (Luke 23:34).
- He spoke encouraging words (John 16:33).
- He suffered in our place and died for our sins (1 Pet. 2:21–25).
Jesus not only shows us what love is; He teaches us how to love by leaving us an example to follow.
Clay Leonard