Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
1 Corinthians 13:4 NIV
What is Love
Love is universal, but how we give and receive love is truly personal. “Love languages” are a popular way to determine how someone prefers expressing and receiving love. Quality time is Canada’s favorite love language; both to give and receive. Words of affirmation is the toughest love language to express, according to the majority of Canadians. It was the top result in all major cities. A quarter of Canadians have split with a partner due to major differences in preferred love languages.
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Back in the 90s, the Jamaican musical artist Haddaway asked, in an iconic song that has over 330 million views on YouTube last time I checked, asks the question of the ages – what is love? That has to be the question of the ages for all of us – we all need to experience love in our lives. That was built into us by our Creator – who loves us and who gives us the capacity to love Him and others. The challenge is that in our sinful world, love is too often confused with the lusts of the flesh and comes with strings attached. What a contrast to agape love. Paul explains that in the great love chapter in his first epistle to the Christians in Corinth. He writes this in 1 Corinthians 13:4: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.” This is the ultimate explanation of God’s love for us and what ought to be our love for Him and others. We can only love this way when we have experienced His love expressed to us like this in Jesus.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley