Definition of Love

Today’s blog is going to be short but terribly powerful. 

In fact, I want you to grab a pen and write this down. 

I am going to give you a definition of love that is revolutionary.  

It is such a foreign concept that you will need to ponder it for a while
before its effects begin to reveal themselves. 
Truth is, this definition should be uncomfortable.   

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True Love is giving someone what they need the most   
     ~ when they deserve it the least    
     ~ at great personal cost to you   
  ~  without getting anything in return
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TEST of your love:  How do you 
         react when someone hurts you?

Matthew 5:46 NLT

“If you love only those who love you,
What reward is there for that?
Even corrupt tax collectors do that much.
If you are kind only to your friends,
How are you different from anyone else?
Even pagans do that.
But you are to be perfect,
Even as your Father in Heaven is perfect”

So my reflection on this is,

“How Did Our Concept of Love Become So Twisted & Selfish?” 

Let me ask you this,

“What is the opposite of LOVE?” 

Most people immediately answer “HATE”.

But I believe the opposite of LOVE is…. LUST.

Love is NOT selfish.

Love IS giving.
Love is a choice ~ a decision to honor a commitment. 

LUST is 100% SELFISH.

LUST is 100% TAKING. 
LUST is a choice ~ a decision to violate a commitment.

 

Here is my take on this,
God created perfect love in the Garden of Eden.  
(read Genesis chapters 1-3 for background)
However man CHOSE sin over his relationship with God. 

Man CHOSE selfishness over the perfection God created. 

 

YET, God did not shake the board and start over. 

He loved humans so much He….

Romans 5:8-9 NLT

“But God showed His great love for us
by sending Christ to die for us
while we were still sinners.
And since we have been made
right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ,
He will certainly save us from God’s condemnation.”

I promised this would be a short blog and I am trying to keep it short.  The problem is, God’s Word is a record of God demonstrating His love and our long history of rejecting it. 

I find that fascinating. 

Man rejecting a free gift that has the ability to heal and restore. 

Deuteronomy 7:7-8 NLT

“The LORD did not set His heart on you
and choose you
because you were more numerous
than other nations,
for you were the smallest of all nations!
Rather, it was simply
that the LORD loves you,
and He was keeping the oath
He had sworn to your ancestors. 
That is why the LORD rescued you
with such a strong hand from your slavery
and from the oppressive hand
of Pharaoh, king of Egypt.”