What Is Love?

I have found in my life experience that those who speak the most about Love, practice it the least.
Love is much spoken of, yet practiced very little, why?
Because we don’t fully understand what it is.
I also have often found that those in love with love, seldom are in love with “The Truth” of the whole of God’s Word, they tend to only favor the scriptures that fit their view of God. Love is not just some warm fuzzy physical feeling that we get when we get our way, when our needs are met.

Love suffers long and is kind Suffering is not a thing conducive to human nature, let alone the concept of being kind to the one who is causing your suffering. Crucifying the flesh is something that we want to scan over and ignore.

Love does not envy In this age of covetousness even the Christian can become full of envy. They forget the Word that tells us to learn to be content in what so ever situation and or circumstance we find ourselves.

Love is not puffed up Love is not full of its own importance, but rather looks to the things of others. Love doesn’t self-righteously look down on others, thinking them to be spiritually inferior to themselves. It realizes that God uses others, God works through all His children to accomplish His will.

Love does not think evil of another without true cause: Love judges righteous judgment according to God’s Holy Word. Love considers others circumstance and feelings not just their own.

Love is not easily provoked to anger, nor to the need to retaliate, Love remembers that vengeance belongs to God.

Love doesn’t rejoice at the evil it witnesses, but rather is grieved by it. Love realizes the time in which it lives and that the days are evil, Love doesn’t give up, love keeps striving knowing the end reward.

Love rejoices in truth,when it encounters, and bears witness to the truth. Love wants only “Truth”.

Love is patient Love extends the grace to others that it expects God to extend to itself. Love doesn’t have episodes of road rage…waiting in line rage, I was here first, it’s mine rage…

Love forgives Love forgives as it expects its own sins to be covered, forgotten and forgiven by God. Love remembers where God brought it from and extends mercy to others.

Love seeks to edify others, it seeks to encourage and uplift even if its own circumstance may need encouragement, yet may not be receiving it from others. Love understands that in extending itself to meet the needs of others it’s own needs diminish, and often times are met when it is obedient to God’s commands.

Love treats others as it would have others treat them.

Love isn’t self absorbed it is not consumed with learning about self esteem, rather it is more concerned in learning about self-lessness. Love puts others needs above those of itself. Love puts others first.
Love is willing to crucify its own needs, is willing to lay down its life to meet the needs of others.

Love is not "What's in it for me"?

Love trusts God’s plan for their lives, without reservation.

Love bears all things, endures all things, believes all the things of God, put’s all their hope in God. Love behaves in accordance to God's Word.

When we have all these traits down, then we can know what love is.
When we can extend to others what God extends to us, then we can know God.