What is Love?

[kaufmannphillips]

Hello - I am curious to hear other people's understandings of what love is.

(I do not intend to respond on this topic - I want to listen.)

[steve7150]

Hello - I am curious to hear other people's understandings of what love is.







Aren't there a couple of songs out there with a similar title. I think generally in our culture love is based on feelings, "you complete me", or "you make me feel loved/safe/wanted/happy/content/fulfilled etc. For parents it's largely instinctual, the desire to protect your kids and guide them and have relationships with them and wanting the best for them.

I think biblically speaking love is more sacrificial like Jesus said the greatest love is to lay down your life for your friends. Also faithfulness,loyalty,mercy,justice and of course wanting the best for someone.

[Timios]

I think biblically speaking love is more sacrificial like Jesus said the greatest love is to lay down your life for your friends. Also faithfulness,loyalty,mercy,justice and of course wanting the best for someone.

In other words, love is action and not merely feeling. That understanding seems to fit 1 Corinthians 13.

[Singalphile]

I don't think I have anything insightful to say, but my comment in another thread might have contributed to the creation of this thread, so I'll respond (and the question is a good one anyway).

So, I guess I'd say that love is when you give up your time or resources for someone else out of a desire to promote his or her well-being.

As I thought of this question, I thought of the beginning of James 2, which states (paraphrasing) that good intentions without action are without profit, and also the beginning of 1 Corinthians 13, which points out that a good deed done without love does not profit the doer.

[psimmond]

Love = A strong preference.

[Timios]

As Steve 7150 pointed out, Jesus said:

"Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13 NASB)

[psimmond]

Sacrificial love is the greatest love, but that doesn't mean love is by definition sacrificial.

[willowtree]

Our pastor related this story to emphasize a point in his message. A young missionary couple arrived in Melbourne, Australia, , many years ago, with their young daughter. All were weary when they were met by a group from the church, but one woman among the group took time to meet the young girl and gave to her a rag-doll. The young girl clutched at the doll and over the days, weeks and months to follow kept it with her everywhere she went. They became inseparable. Over the years the affection for the doll remained even as the doll became more ragged and less doll. The pastor made his point this way:
Some things are loved because they are valuable, but other things are valuable because they are loved.

Love, in the second sense, is the voluntary effort to create value in another person or object.

Graem

[mattrose]

An 'other-oriented' posture that seeks to rightfully honor the 'other'

[21centpilgrim]

Willingness/desire to bless another even at the expense of oneself.