by Cheryl Brand

Created on: September 09, 2008

The christian's understanding of Love has to do with his understanding of God. God is love. He is the personification of love, and since we were made in His image we also are creatures of love.

Love is our natural realm to live and have our being in, because it is in our nature to love. We were made to love and to be a representation of love. The kingdom of God is made up of love, peace and joy.

When we are not moving and expressing love, we are least like ourselves, because we are made to reflect God and His attributes. We are a reflection of God in the earth. Our true desire is to be compassionate and look out for our brother, and to be interested in the welfare of others.

Love is patient, love is kind it is not easily upset, and it looks away when it sees sin and does not put a spotlight on it, but would rather forgive and pray for the person that is sinning. Love likes to encourage and not discourage or condemn. The bible says that mercy and rightousness kisses. A true friend overlooks a matter and does not bring it up again for want of staying in a love relationship with his friend. Love does not carry or hold on to grudges because love wants to start over again fresh with a new slate. Love is a complex ingredient that is within each person which is cultivated by the lover and discouraged by the person who does not want to go that way in the way of Love.

Man has lost a lot of senses of the "spiritual things" at the Garden of Eden when we fell in Adam through disobedience, and that is why we are not born knowing all these things. A lot of these things are learned as we grow and gather experience and knowledge.

Love does not condone sin, but looks to lift up the sinner with the very powerful example of Love, giving the one that is weaker someone to look to to be emulated in the art of Love.

When we are not in a loving position we are the same as or like as a fish that is out of water, because our true desire is to be a carrier of love. Love never gives up, is not easily made angry, and loves to give mercy and forgiveness. When we live with this kind of love we are most like our maker.

Corinthians chapter 13 gives us a comprehensible version of what love is. The natural man is not always bent in that direction because we are made out of dust, but true love can be learned and exampled for us by the ones that God puts in our lives that are mentors for us. Paul said follow me as I follow Christ.

May we all come to a fuller and more keener understanding of love and be a more accurate replica of God our Father who is all love.

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