What is love?

“What is love?” is one of the most frequently asked questions about religion on the Internet. It’s difficult to define because love is an abstract concept. It isn’t examined through the five senses. It’s not part of physical reality. Yet it’s probably the most powerful word in the universe.

“But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the [f]greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NASB)

Heart hands frame the sun image by Public Domain on RawPixel

When performers stand on stage and say, “I love you all,” what do those performers mean? Does it mean they feel affection for you? Or they would stand out in the rain to see you like you did them? Or they want to marry all of you? Or you’re like their siblings or children? Or they’re overcome with emotion?

Do they mean what Jesus and God and figures in other religions mean?

Love in a religious sense is not an emotion

I often hear people say about religion, “I don’t feel anything.” Were they supposed to feel something? Some do.

Empathy would be the closest feeling to love as a feeling in a religious sense. But some of the people we’re called to act out of love toward aren’t going to be people we like. We just want the best for them and are willing to help them … maybe, usually, yeah we have difficult time with that.

I’m certain God has a difficult time liking me from time to time but God still loves me. What does that mean?

God’s love, our love

God’s love, which as followers of God we’re supposed to emulate as demonstrated by Jesus, is unlimited and forever. It isn’t limited by people’s failure to do right or to be likeable.

Good Samaritan Example

Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan as an example. Jesus was speaking to the Jews and this story would have been received like rubbing salt in an open wound. The Jews hated the Samaritans because they were rivals. The Samaritans felt they were “Keepers of the book,” the first five books of the Bible, and they rejected the prophets.

Their manuscripts had a slightly different message about where the Temple should be, and a few other differences. When they built a Temple the Jews tore it down. There could only be one.

In Jesus’ story Jewish leaders came across a man lying alongside the road. He had been robbed, beaten, and left for dead. Each Jewish leader who passed walked on the other side of the road to avoid the man. But the Samaritan provided care for the man and took him to an inn where he paid the owner to take care of the man until he returned.

That, Jesus said, is love of your neighbor. Mercy shows love. Do this and you will have eternal life. (Luke 10:25-37)

Jesus made the abstract term love more real by giving an example.

Apostle Paul gives more examples

The Apostle Paul gave a beautiful example of what love is:

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” – 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8, 13 (NASB)

Foundation of all love

Divine love is the foundation of all love. Love for a spouse, child, sibling, friend …. All love will have the divine type of love at its foundation.

We fall in love, and that starts with infatuation for that person, and we usually feel like we would do anything for them. There it is: do anything for them.

False love is when we use other people. We hitch to a trophy companion to make ourselves feel good and show off so that others admire us. Or that other person makes us feel good. But real love is not about us, it’s about others.

Love isn’t transactional. Transactional means an even exchange. That is, you give so that you get something in return. Love gives freely.

Relationships built on real love are strong and they last.