day 5- your definition of love

First, I have to apologize because I wasn’t able to do day 5 on the day that I am supposed to blog about it, because I had to study for a 100-item quiz in my history class. It was so difficult trying to read the book because it was in Filipino, and although I can speak Filipino pretty well, when Filipino is used for academic books, the terms and words are just way too deep for me to understand.

So for day 5, I have to define love. I find this very hard to do since love is so indescribable.

I just want to mention that my definition of love is greatly affected by my belief. I believe that every believer should love as Christ has loved. I know it is not possible to become as pure as He is, but if we are not to follow His ways then why do we call ourselves His children, His followers, His servant, and why do we call Him our Lord, our Savior, our Teacher, our God?

 

These, I believe, are the characteristics of true love, one that we all must strive to have.

First, love is unselfish. When one loves another, he would want the best for that person. One knows what is good, what is bad, what is beneficiary, and what is disadvantageous. And if a person loves another, he would try his best so the other can obtain and do what is good, and what is right. Love allows us to set aside our pride, and think of others. And so, rebuking, reminding, giving constructive criticism is good, as long as your goal is to help the person become better. If you were a believer, then you would want the people you love, to know God, and be saved. You cry out to Him for them, not because you want to prove you’re right, but because you want to save them from an eternity of suffering.

Second, love can be seen. I do not understand when people say they love someone but they cannot show it. If you truly love someone, then it will come out through your actions whether you like it or not. I’m not talking about holding hands or kissing or all those physical things, but the way you talk to that person, the way you care for him/her, if you pray for him/her or not, if you’re always there for him/her, the way you talk about him/her, if you try to build a friendship, etc.

Third, love is unconditional. One does not base his love for a person on what he gets from him/her. It does not love more just because he benefits more, and love less because he receives less. Loving does not look at race, culture, intelligence, money, etc. you may not like the person, in fact, the person may hate you, and call you names, and hurt you, but you still choose to love him or her. If you’re a Christian and you chose to love someone, then the past, the current and future struggles and downfalls should not affect your love for that person, but you make that person know that no matter what, you will be there for him/her. the person does need to love you back for you to love him/her.

And with that, the Fourth is that love takes effort. Some people think that love is just a feeling. What I’ve learned is that love is not only a feeling, but also a decision. If you love a person, you will make that daily decision to do so. It’s not easy, but true love requires hard work. How else can you love people who hurt you and people you don’t know but to make an effort? Also, when you love a person, you just don’t take action based on how you’re feeling, because a man’s emotions change, but if you love a person, then you would make an effort to understand him/her, to help him/her, to deepen your relationship, to keep the friendship alive through unwanted circumstances.

Finally, love does not end. If you put all of the things that I have previously stated together, then it will bring about to a lifetime of love, a solid love that will not fail.

regardless if the person you love is just a friend, or a wife/husband, a boyfriend/girlfriend, a brother/sister, a relative/family member, all these characteristics I believe should be present.

I believe also that only God can fulfill all of these perfectly, but we must try.