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The Meaning of Love

Over the last few weeks we have been exploring the meaning of the word love.

From we listed

Key Components of Love:

4 Key Components of Love:

Highly valuing the other person

Wanting what is best for the other person

Willingness to sacrifice for the benefit of the other person

Intention to honor and celebrate the other person

Many Christians share this definition of love:

Love is an accurate estimation and adequate supply of another person’s need.

Love is Christlike.

Christian love is an outgoing, self-giving, unselfish concern for others.

At the very heart of God is a love that is not deserved nor earned, but a love that keeps on reaching out to those who are lost.

Love

The modern English definition of love is:

an intense feeling of deep affection

a deep romantic or sexual attachment to someone

a great interest and pleasure in something

affectionate greetings conveyed to someone on one's behalf.

a formula for ending an affectionate letter

a formula for ending an affectionate letter: take care, lots of love, Judy.2 a person or thing that one loves: she was the love of his life | their two great loves are tobacco and whiskey.•

British informal a friendly form of address: it's all right, love.•

(a love) British informal used to express affectionate approval for someone: don't fret, there's a love.3

(in tennis, squash, and some other sports) a score of zero; nil: love fifteen | he was down two sets to love.[apparently from the phrase play for love (i.e., the love of the game, not for money); folk etymology has connected the word with French l'oeuf ‘egg,’ from the resemblance in shape between an egg and a zero.]verb

[with object] feel a deep romantic or sexual attachment to (someone): do you love me?• like very much; find pleasure in: I'd love a cup of tea, thanks | I just love dancing | [as adjective, in combination] (-loving) : a fun-loving girl.

feel a deep romantic or sexual attachment to

like very much; find pleasure in

In a modern sense we perceive love as an emotion.

Biblical love however- what we call Agape- is presented as an action.

True love acts.

It is not just a feeling.

It does what is in the best interest of another person.

So Biblical love is more than an emotion.

It is best seen in the acts it performs.

"Certainly every expression in the Bible that refers to God’s love shows God in action; in love he sent his Son to be our Savior and our Redeemer.

Likewise, Christian love for others is a love that will engage in loving acts—acts of kindness, tenderness, compassion, protection, perseverance, and so on.

Even though it is one of the most common words in the English language, love can be hard to explain.

21 Kids were asked about the meaning of love.

Their answers were enlightening.

As I share some of their thoughts, I want you to take score and tell me whether or not each of these children are describing love and as emotion or an action.

It shows we feel entitled to what others have.

"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday,"

Entitlement is the first born son of pride.

— Noelle, age 7 Action

Envy and boasting both flow from the same source- entitlement.

"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs,"

— Chrissy, age 6 Action

Envy feels entitled to more stuff.

"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired,"

— Terri, age 4 Emotion

"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore.

So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too.

That's love,"

Boasting feels entitled to more glory.

— Rebecca, age 8 Action

"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you,"

— Karen, age 7 Emotion

"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other,"

— Karl, age 5.

"Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day,"

"Love is when you kiss all the time.

Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more.

My Mommy and Daddy are like that.

They look gross when they kiss," — Emily, age 8

— Mary Ann, age 4 Emotion and Action

"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen,"

— Bobby, age 7 Emotion

"When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different.

You know that your name is safe in their mouth,"

— Billy, age 4 Action

"Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken,"

— Elaine, age 5 Action

"You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it.

But if you mean it, you should say it a lot.

People forget,"

— Jessica, age 8 Action

"There are two kinds of love.

Our love.

God's love.

But God makes both kinds of them,"

— Jenny, age 8 Emotion and Action

"During my piano recital, I was on the stage and I was scared.

I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling.

He was the only one doing that.

I wasn't scared anymore,"

— Cindy, age 8 Action

"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK,"

— Danny, age 7 Action

"I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones,"

— Lauren, age 4 Action.

Actually…deception.

"If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,"

— Nikka, age 6 Emotion.

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford,"