The Gift of Love
What is the gift of love? What is love?
Love: lŭv – A strong feeling of affection and concern toward another person, as that arising from kinship or close friendship.
That’s the definition of Love, according to the American Heritage Dictionary.
How would you define Love? And who comes to mind when you think of love? Do you think of your precious children or grandchildren (oh, those sweet babies!)? Your incredible spouse? Or maybe it’s the love of your favorite furry kiddos, your dogs and cats! How about the love of the Lord?
The Gift of Love
However, it is that you view love, it is a gift. A gift to be shared and a gift to be received.
Our family has been on quite a journey recently. First, we’ve had a beautiful blessing in our new, precious granddaughter’s safe arrival. She is love personified, in all of her tiny perfection!
To look at her is to love her.
On the very same day we welcomed our newest family blessing, sweet baby Margeaux, we began a challenging journey with our son, Matthew. We learned Matthew was in the ER, being treated for a possible stroke. Fear and uncertainty followed. Feelings of overflowing blessings mingled with our worried and anxious minds.
But what keeps us afloat through it ALL? The gift of Love.
The pure love we feel when we look at our treasured new granddaughter. The pure, unconditional love we feel for our son as we walk through this season with him – and the love we receive back. The love of our Lord, who carries us and gives us strength – all a genuine gift.
What We Know About Love
1 Corinthians 13 tells us these things about Love:
- Love is patient
- Love is kind
- Love does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud
- Love does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs
- Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth
- It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres
That’s quite a list! But surely one worthy of aspiring to, don’t you think? As we walk this marvelous journey of life together – we sure do.
Let’s choose to live on purpose, to give the gift of love to those around us – not just in this notoriously love-filled month, but every day!
So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is LOVE.
1 Corinthians 13:13