WHAT LOVE IS

We have just celebrated Valentine's Day.  Many of us know the origins of this day but I suspect that it is really fostered by the greeting card companies and florists.  I have no doubt that it is a red letter  day for them. Actually, it would be more accurate to say black day, as in (in the black).  I always appreciate the expressions of affection that I receive on that day.  But, like Easter and Christmas we often forget during the rest of the year just what these celebrations are truly about.  Valentine Day is a day to celebrate love.  The New Testament has a lot to say about love, Christian love ,that is.  Jesus said that is how people will know that we are his disciples, that we love one another.  If we understand that love is an action and not just a feeling then we get a better sense of what Jesus meant. We don't always have a warm feeling toward some of our Christian brothers and sisters.  Truth be told, some of them rub us the wrong way.  However, we can still treat them in a loving way no matter what our feelings may be.   We can be patient with them when they have acted impatiently. We can speak kindly even when they have spoken harshly. When can congratulate them when they do something worthy of praise even when we may have done something just as praiseworthy and they didn't congratulate us. We can be cordial and conciliatory even if they are rude.  We can do something for their benefit even when we would rather not.  We can refuse to allow something that they say or do to anger us.  We can refuse to carry a grudge when they have hurt us.  We can protect them, trust in the goodness of God even when we do not think that the person is good.  We can always seek the truth instead of relying on gossip.  We can protect the reputation of our bothers and sisters by not repeating and replaying their shortcomings.  If you haven't recognized it by now, this is a paraphrase of the explanation Paul gave about love in 1 Corinthians 13:8-7.  Paul went on to say in verse 11 that he acted like a child when he was a child but when he became a man he put away childish things.  In other words, he was telling the church to gow up and act like adults not like quarrelling children. It was excellent advise then and most certainly it is still good advice today.  Jesus also said, "Love one another, as I have loved you."