Today all over our country children will be receiving valentine’s cards at school from classmates. There will be parties with cookies and drinks, while they open the cards and have fun. The family will send cards and wishes of love for parents and children, while couples will celebrate with chocolate, flowers, and a nice dinner. It is a special day to show the love we have for others.
All of this love comes from the one who made us. God himself is described as love in I John 4:8. We are made in His image and the idea of love is personified by how He demonstrated it on the cross. John 3:16 says it best, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. “ True love gives and He gave His best, His only Son, to pay the price for our sins so He could spend eternity with us.
I John 4:8 “He that loveth not knows not God; for God is love.”
Today, millions will declare their love for others, but what kind of love will it be? Will it be a love like God loves, or a love that is self-serving, only looking for what that love can do for them? God wants us to love the way He loves.
In the Bible, the word for love that God has for us is the Greek word agape. Agape love is the highest form of love. This love is unconditional love.
Other forms of love are defined as eros of erotic love. This form of love is romantic or sexual love. This would be an aspect or type of love a husband and wife would have for one another.
A word that refers to close family love is the Greek word storge. It would be demonstrated by the love a mother has for her child.
The next form of love is philia love. This would be the love we have for our friends or our family. True love prefers the best for another person. They are not consumed with themselves but take delight in seeing those they love happy.
Romans 12:10 “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another;”
As Christians, we are to seek to love the way God loves us. This kind of love is unconditional. We don’t stop loving others because of actions they have done that hurt us or are difficult to understand. This is hard to do, and cannot be achieved apart from the power of God. God loves us in spite of our sins. He loved us when we were His enemies. When I think of loving my enemies, I think of Luke 23:34 where Jesus was on the cross and He looked at those crucifying Him and said “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” If you are thinking “well, that was Jesus, He can do all things,” but I can’t. Then I will remind you of Stephen in Acts 7:60, where they were stoning him to death because of his faith. He looked up to Heaven just before he took his last breath and ask Jesus not to charge them with this sin. I believe we can love our enemies because God loves them. When someone is our enemy, we understand they are doing their own soul more danger than they are us. They are putting a sin between themselves and God. We can love as Christ when we realize it’s not about us, it’s about their relationship with God. We just happen to be an easy target.
Romans 5:10 “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.”
Acts 7:59-60 “And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”
Luke 6:35 “But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.”
True love also disciplines. This may sound strange to you but in Hebrews 12:6 we are taught that a good father chastens or punishes their child for the wrong they have done. In verse 11, we see that correction will yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness. When you love your child, you do the hard things. It is painful to disciple a child the correct way and stay with it until correct behavior is achieved, but because you love that child you want what is best for them. You see the destruction if they continue to go down the wrong path. This is also the way God deals with us.
Hebrews 12:6-7 “For whom the Lord loveth he chastens, and scourges every son whom he receives. Now no chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless, afterward it yielded the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”
True love is selfless and sacrificial. True love is more concerned that others needs are met than their own. This kind of love gives all expecting nothing in return. It is a love that does not worry about tomorrow because the one who loves this way trust God to meet its needs as long as it lives in obedience.
On this Valentine’s Day will you examine your love for God and others? Will you determine to love the way God loves to the best of your ability? It is time we all seek to love like God loves.
