The Ultimate Gift!!
By Rozie37
@Rozie37 (15499)
Turkmenistan
July 28, 2007 2:31am CST
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, 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. Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
What is love? Ask 100 people and you'll get 100 different examples. You will probably get at least 10-20 definitions - affection, devotion, attraction, caring, etc; Countless songs, books, movies, poems, writings, and any other form of human communication address love. Of course there are different kinds of love: the love between 2 people that are attracted to each other as partners, the love of families, the love of people, places, things and activities that we deem important in life. All these definitions and examples describe love as a feeling, but the verse above describes love as an object. According to the Bible, love has characteristics. Think about who or what you love. How many of these characteristics fit the love you experience? Chances are, you haven't experienced all of the above with any relationship. Husbands and wives, parents and children, any 2 people or group have experienced a breakdown in one or more of these many times. You may get impatient with your spouse as you wait for them to get ready to go out. You may, in the heat of an argument bring up something that your parent or child did years ago that still hurts. And, how many times is our love conditional?
But there is one situation where love meets all these criteria, and more. "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." (John 3:16.) God doesn't just love those who love him - he loves the whole world! Everlasting life awaits those who believe in His Son. He's reaching out to all of us, promising the ultimate gift to those who love him back. Will you?
By: Frank Noto
1 person likes this
2 responses
@Flight84 (3048)
• United States
28 Jul 07
I love the 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 verse so much. My mom cross-stitched me a picture with that verse. Love is an extremely difficult thing to define or describe. I think love is a beautiful thing, with many ugly bumps along the way. It's how you handle arguments and how ou treat your loved ones that count. I haven't, by no means, followed everything in the verse, for example, when angry, I tend to drag stuff out that should just be left alone. All I know is that my husband is my everything. He is my best friend, my confidant, my anchor, my support, my love. I could never fully express my love for my family or my friends either. When my mom or sister are hurting, it breaks me apart. Love can hurt sometimes, but it's okay. I think too many people are willing to throw away relationship over petty things. I also remember that John 3:16 was the first verse I memorized and recited to people as a child. That is love, and unconditional love that you would never find inside a greeting card.
