“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.” (I Corinthians 13:4-8, ESV)
If I were to describe the meaning of the Bible in one word, I would choose the word love. From Genesis through Revelation, love—God’s love—is evident. After all, God is love (I John 4:8). We are assured that His love toward us is eternal. It will never end.
“The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end” (Lamentations 3:22, ESV).
First Corinthians 13, with its beautiful description of love, is probably one of the best-known passages in the Bible. I will tell you this. I cannot imagine living in a world where love does not exist. It’s the glue that holds us together. Some have said that the opposite of love is not hate as we would think. It’s indifference. Not caring at all may be more hurtful than hatred.
What does pure love look like? Let’s see how Paul describes love in this chapter.
- Love is patient, kind, truth-loving, protective, and trusting. It expects the best and never gives up. It lasts forever.
- Love is not arrogant, rude, envious, or resentful. It is not self-seeking and does not keep a record of wrongs.
The love described above is agape love. This kind of love is sacrificial and self-denying. It always puts the other person’s needs first. It is unconditional and seeks nothing in return. This love is offered even if the person is undeserving and unappreciative. It loves anyway. It is a love that would die for someone. (Does this sound familiar, perhaps just like the Lord?)
Agape love is action more than emotion!
Rather than giving you words to describe this powerful love, allow me to give you stories.
- Ruth’s love for Naomi was agape love. She was willing to leave her family, her country, and everything familiar to care for her widowed mother-in-law.
- Although a parable, the Good Samaritan’s care of the wounded stranger shows agape love. He willingly disrupted his own journey and paid from his own funds to see that a man he had never met was not left by the side of the road to die.
- I believe the actions of Stephen, the first Christian martyr, also demonstrate agape love. Instead of cursing and calling for vengeance on those who stoned him, he used his last breath to pray for them. He dying words were, “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.”
Those are just Bible stories, you may say, but such love still exists today. I have personally observed agape love in action. A personal friend donated a kidney to a mom with young children so she could live to see them grow to adulthood. I’ve known adult children who disrupted their lives to care for an aging parent with dementia or fragile health. I’ve seen church members take in someone needing housing or anonymously pay a family’s past due bills. I have witnessed love in action numerous times, and you no doubt have also.
In John 13:34 (ESV) the Lord said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” I’m not sure my love will ever match the passion and depth of the Lord’s love, but I want to try. What about you?
We have only briefly studied the love chapter. Although only thirteen verses long, there is so much more to discover. I pray you will take time today to read the entire chapter and determine to love others the way the Lord loves you.
“So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (I Corinthians 13:13, ESV)
Lord, You love me so much, even to the point of dying for me. You asked us to love one another just as You love us. Help me to fulfill that commandment. So many today are lost, lonely, and afraid. They need to feel Your love and know You died for them also. Let Your love to shine through me to touch them.
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