Love Defined

1 Corinthians 13 gives us a wonderful (i.e., easy to comprehend) definition of what love is ... and what love isn't. Let's take a look.

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous. Love is not proud and does not boast. Love does not do things that are not nice. Love does not just think of itself. Love does not get angry. Love holds no wrong feelings in the heart. Love is not glad when people do wrong things. But it is always glad when they do right. Love forgives everything. Love is always trusting, and always hoping, and never gives up. Love never ends. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

Too often in this life we get confused about love. We think love is about me. I want love. I need to feel loved. I need love. I want you to love me. Honestly, have you ever seen such focus on self? Notice that there is nothing about me in 1 Corinthians 13. It is always about you!

It seems that if love has these virtues, that true love can stand up to any tests this life and this world can give it. But if it fails, then I would argue that it may never have been love in the first place.