Love

1 Corinthians 13 4-5 (NIV)
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Hitherto, what most of the people think about love, is being shattered by this verse in the Bible. Love is not comforting one’s own feelings. Love is not selfish or lustfully motivated. Love isn’t about doing things in order to get something. Love is about giving selflessly, love is showing compassion, love is about extirpating jealousy and hatred. Love is about lifting the crestfallen through our genteel nature. Love is about ameliorating one’s life in Jesus. And above all Love is about understanding and giving the Love as Jesus gave us. His love was perfect. His love did not have even a single thought of being nefarious. We all have been trying to decode the definition of love and we all are singing the same leitmotif of worldly possessions and objectives till the time we don’t read and decipher the Bible.
Love teaches us everything. It teaches us to be humble, patient, faithful, emotional, etc basically every aspect of a person’s life. Till the time we haven’t tasted Jesus love, we won’t truly understand the meaning and real objective of love. A real love is A Love in Jesus wherein we follow all that he has commanded us to do. Because till the time we don’t truly love Jesus, we won’t be able to follow what he said. Love allows us to have freedom. Freedom of doing righteous things, freedom of disassociating ourselves from sin, freedom of understanding everything correctly and freedom of breathing freely and fearlessly.

1 John 4:18-19
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
We love him, because he first loved us.
Most important phase in this verse is to understand “Perfect love” else it could become confusing with -

Proverbs 9:10
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
To a person who yet hasn't accepted Jesus, these verses may seem contradictory. However, the truth is both these verses are interrelated. The first verse talks about having no fear in perfect love and second talks about the fear of Lord is the starting point in acquiring knowledge and wisdom. Now, comes the question as to what is perfect love? Perfect Love is understanding Jesus and his commandments and eventually adhering to his commandments. When we fear the Lord, we start a journey with him towards heaven because we understand his power. His capability to destroy as he is the creator of everything, his overwhelming love and mercy for us as he gave his only son to us for the atonement of our sins. And when we accept him graciously for his love and compassion for us, that time all our fear is being thrown out because the definition of true love says that we would adhere and obey everything of the one we love; and keeping the definition in mind our fear abandons us and let us live freely in Lord. Perfect Love in Lord will give you peace and satisfaction, it will give you hope and faith, it will give you the reason to live.
However, because Jesus loves us so much, we should not become like brats. We shouldn’t take his love and mercy for granted as Jesus wants us to work day in and day out for achieving his perfect love by adhering to his commandments and hating evil.

Romans 12:9
Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
The Bible clearly tells us to hate what is evil. Unless and until we hate evil how would we go away from it? We have to be closer to Jesus every day to savor his love. The reward for the sincerity of perfect love that we show in Jesus is the eternal life that we would get with him. Love is like a medicine which Lord has given to humans. Our soul which has been corrupted by jealousy, vanity, anger, depression, lust, covetousness, etc can only be healed through loving each other in Jesus. Our demeanor should be self-effacing. With love in Jesus and loving people around us, we not only win hearts but also win the ultimate battle with Satan. And that is why Jesus gave his second commandment in New Testament -

Mark 12:31
And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
With this Jesus wants to convey us that we should love our “neighbor”; not literally neighbor (of course we have to love our immediate neighbor as well) only but entire human race as such. When we love our family members, friends, colleagues, known to people and also a stranger, Life becomes completely different. Our perspective of life changes for better. Our perception towards life becomes positive instead of becoming negative. We start valuing people which, is worthwhile a change in itself inculcated in our thought process only through the perfect love of Jesus. Hatred only brings anguish in our heart. Accepting that pain because of hatred is one of the worst perils which we could tolerate knowing the solution beforehand. Love is not always easy as it seems and isn’t convenient either; however, Love is always quintessentially right. Since Love is inspired by Lord so it definitely brings out the best in us. It transpires the kindness and mercy deep routed in us which got overshadowed due to corruption and self-centrism.
We all have been blessed with inherent love from Lord; all we need to do is to sharpen in with regular prayers to Jesus and a thorough study of God’s word. The scriptures help us to break our discourteous heart into a humble and docile heart. It teaches us the importance of Love for God and humans. It not only teaches us the importance but also shows us practically as to how Love can win souls for Jesus and also for humanity.

Galatians 6:9
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Whether we going through a bad patch or good times never cease to love. Keep on loving Jesus and all the people around us with unmalicious and non-expectant heart. Eventually, our love will bring us closer to Jesus and help us to lead a life which would be pleasing in Lord’s eye. Never love for hatred as the Satan did by beguiling Eve as a serpent to sin against God. Always keep the parameters of love keeping Jesus as the benchmark. Don’t ask or expect love which has benefits involved. The Bible warns us against that kind of love which is corrupted by Satan.

2 Corinthians 4:4
In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God should shine unto them.
Satan has been referred to as the god of this world and the Bible warns against his corrupted love. The Gospel of Jesus is the true love. Love ushered to us by Jesus is the true and pure love.
If Jesus has blessed us with materialistic possessions and if we are capable of helping a poor who need it then it becomes our duty and responsibility to help him. Because that is the pure and true love which Jesus taught us.

1 John 3:17
But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
If we are proficient enough to help a person and deliberately not helping him, the Bible clearly tells us that how can the love of the God reside in him. That person who isn’t helping the needy is being governed not by love of Jesus but by Satan; who has corrupted his mind to an extend where his frugality has surpassed all levels of greediness. A helpful person is being valued over a miser person. Our real wealth is stored in heaven and not on earth. That wealth which is stored in heaven is perennial but the wealth stored and earned on earth is perishable. And the currency used in heaven is Love and Faith. If we promulgate love we will receive love not only here but also in heaven.

Matthews 6:19-20
“Don’t store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.
“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal.
Jesus love for humans was so abundant that he forgot the pain that he went through; commonly known as “The Passion of Jesus Christ”. His body was being tormented but still, his love for humans never faded. And that’s why when he was on cross he prayed to Heavenly Father to forgive the mankind.

Luke 23:34
Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment and cast lots.
Jesus love is pure, perfect and unconditional for mankind. His love is an example for us to follow. His love is greater than what we can ever imagine. However, to experience and understand his love we must surrender our heart, mind, and soul to him because until then the vanity, ego, and pride inside us won’t allow us to taste his love.
With love comes the respect and honor. The Bible also tells us to honor each other, in fact through the love of Jesus we should respect and give him honor beyond one’s expectations.

Romans 12:10
Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another;
So, remember to humble your heart to show our love and affection, love each other immensely as brothers and sisters in Jesus and remember to forgive each other so that we can experience the true Love of Jesus.