List of Loves

We use the word love a lot. We love foods, hobbies, shows, music, fashion, sports, the list goes on and on. In a way, the frequent and sometimes flippant use of the word love has diluted its true meaning. But true love only has three definitions and they all individual people.

❤️ Strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties (think family)
❤️ Attraction based on sexual desire; affection and tenderness felt by lovers (think marriage)
❤️ Affection based on admiration, benevolence, or common interests. (Think others)

The first two forms are the easiest and generally the most common. The third…well that one is the hard one. Sure we can love others if we admire them or have common interests. I love Jessica. She’s my best friend. We’ve known each other for now two decades. I admire her and we for sure have all common interests. But it’s the benevolence part that gets us. This is the part of love that includes strangers and enemies. We love them because it is the right thing to do show them kindness and extend to them mercy. Why is this hard then? Because there is no shared personal connection. Because this love has no selfish or self-related reason.

And why should we show this love? Because God did it first for us. He loved us so much even when we were His enemy to send Jesus to die for our sins. He extends(ed) love and mercy and kindness to us when we don’t deserve it. Since God does this for us, He expects those who call themselves His children to do it for others. In fact, He commands it. Love Others. Love Your Enemies.

There are no conditions or exceptions. We must love others. And this is the hardest form of love – to put others (friends, strangers, enemies, and family) above ourselves.

The love order of life is easy to list out but hard to actually live:

❤️ Love God.
❤️ Love Others.
❤️ Then, Love You.

God loved us. So, in order to truly love God we must love others. We must put others first. We must be kind. We must be benevolent. We must be merciful. We must be forgiving. And we must show this love not only to our friends and families but to those who are strangers and even our enemies. Because that is when God showed His love for us…when we were His enemy.

To be of God means we must love like God. So love your neighbor as yourself and view everyone has your neighbor.