1Corinthians 13-4
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 trust always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails


God is love, but not the foolish love of mankind who loves his car, his job, loves the mountains and his hobbies. God's love is demonstrated in that he does not strike us down for our rebellious nature and our desire to do wrong. Because he is love, he is patient, he is kind and he does not need to envy anyone or boast about who he is, or proud of what he does.
In 1 Corinthians 13 Paul tells us that the way of love is the greatest gift anyone can have. Than he spells out what love is and is not. The New Testament of Jesus day was written in the Greek language which is a much richer language, then say English or Spanish. In Greek the word Agape means the kind of love that God has for all humans. That is why the bible says "For God so loved (Agape) the world that he gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life." This and Agapao are Gods love for mankind.
Philos is the love that humans have for each other, this where we get the word Philadelphia which in the USA is the city of brotherly love. This love is based on common interest and is conditional; this is also the word that describes the love for our families. That is why men will love there wife and children, but still become adulterers and many times move out while still saying they love everyone. Proverbs 20:6, many a man claims to have unfailing love, but a faithful man who can find. NIV

Éros is another Greek word meaning love. From this word we get the word erotic meaning sexy or sensual. This differs from the other Greek words for love in that it is a more physical and sexual attraction full of desire than say Philo. It also last very little, for when the attraction and desire is gone, so is the love.

The other Greek word for love is Storge which means love and affection, especially of parents and siblings. There are several others but here we will be working with the word Agape, the God kind of Love.

Love is patient; it has to put up with a million wrongs. That's why Jesus said that we are to forgive up to 7 times 7.True, God like love is a faith that has to be acted on to make it work. The love of the world is not a faith but a reaction to conditions that are being met. But in God there is no condition to be met. He just loves us because we are His. God demonstrated his love for us in that while we were yet sinners HE sent Jesus Christ to die for us.
Love is kind; it is not kind only when everything is going good and everyone is smiling. It is kind all the time, even when things are being said about you which are not very pretty. It is kind when people are impolite, hostile, mean, and jealous of your good fortune or down right rotten.
Love does not envy; this word envy is the worst of these negative virtues. Envy is a poison which does more harm to the one doing the envying then the one who is envied. Love should celebrate your good fortune and the life of those around it. Love does not just tolerate a life but celebrates it. Love admires, respects, enjoys, and applauds its neighbors as well as its enemies. The enemy part is the difficult part of all of this. We are to love our enemies if for no other reason than the fact that it could be a stumbling block to our blessings. Jesus said to Love them, so I love them even if I don't, but I am trying.

Love does not boast; if you love you are not showing of whatever you think is the new grandest thing you have bought or received. Boastful people are full of themselves which leads to bragging for hours on end about a job, house, a car or even wife and kids. To be around someone who is boasting is very boring.

Love is not proud. Nothing you have been given or worked for is really yours it was only gotten by the grace of God. And if it was gotten by grace why do you boast as if you did it on your own? Pride and vanity were the sins of satan. He began everything by saying "I am this and I am that." Pride makes you think that you are bigger and smarter than you are. Some people are proud of their achievements which if done moderately can be very healthful. But others are proud for pride sake, having achieved very little in life.
Love is not rude. Love is always well mannered and polite. It does not have to be always right and have its way.
Love is not self-seeking. Love always seeks the best for others; it's always a win, win situation with love. Those who are self-seekers are also greedy, calculating, cunning, and sometimes unscrupulous. This will not bring in the love that God is asking us to put into practice.
Love is not easily angered. Rage, fury, and anger can sometimes lead to violence, which if left unchecked can destroy a marriage, a friendship or even a family. By practicing the God kind of love one can avoid all these extremes which can destroy a life.

Love keeps no wrong. If you have to remember everything that your sister or brother, uncle or aunt has ever done to you, you are not acting in love. If you say you have forgiven but still feel ill will towards that person more work needs to be done in the area of forgiveness before you can show any love.

Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices in the truth. If you see acts of unkindness, or injustices and smile as you walk away, you are not acting in the truth. If you are delighted when you're supposed enemy, which God has already told you to love, falls into disgrace than you are far from the truth. As a people we do not really want to know the truth and many have learned to live a lie on a daily bases. But God says that love rejoices in the truth no matter what the truth might be. That's because Jesus is the way, the truth, and the light. John 14:7, so if you are in Jesus you will be living the truth.

You cannot manufacture agape on your own, you could practice philo, eros, or some of the other loves mentioned in the Greek language, but you have to enter into Gods presence and receive Jesus as Lord to receive the agape love of the Father. Then you have to put it into practice.
There is one other reason we are commanded to love. The bible tells us that what so ever you sow, that you will reap. So if you sow hate, you will reap hate. Don't be a hater.

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