What is Love?

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Love is acceptance.

Inspite of our flaws, weakness, limitations if someone still treat you as if you haven’t done anything or are perfect then that is what we call love. Not rejecting you because of your mistakes.

This is expressed in kindness, patience, long suffering, gentleness, goodness etc as stated in 1 cor 13:1-

‘If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. 3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it;[a] but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.

4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”

If someone has erred and I am able to express the above mentioned qualities to the person, the person will feel loved and accepted.

In the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-.. the father was patient, kind, good etc towards his wayward son. He accepted him and because that the situation changed. Do you think that the prodigal son will go back again? No.

“11 And he said, A certain man had two sons:

12 And the younger of them said to [his] father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth [to me]. And he divided unto them [his] living.

13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put [it] on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on [his] feet:

23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill [it]; and let us eat, and be merry:

24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.’ (Luke 15:11, KJV)

Do we accept the sin ? No but are patient and kind, suffering long with them and teaching them the right way will bring repentance .

2 cor 7:10

‘For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.’

To be continued

I’m Josephine

Welcome to Chara-Joy, my personal space where I share the word of God to inspire others to serve him. Here, I invite you to join me on a journey of prayer, reading God’s word and growing in our intimacy with the Holy Spirit.

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