Well here we are beginning the month of love. Love is a HOT topic--always has been---hopefully always will be. It's ALL about love---for more than one reason. Scores of songs have been written about love, more poetry than I can count (Let me count the ways), entire industries revolve around love, florists came about because of the need to show love, movie upon movie has been produced (Why we even have the Hallmark Channel), and on and on. Love is a BIG DEAL.
To further confuse--there is more than one type of love. WHAT??? It is so complex we have to divide it into categories. As I surfed around looking for information on love I found this~
EROS- romantic, passionate love
Philia- affectionate, friendly love
STORGE- unconditional, familial love
AGAPE- selfless, universal love (We are Believers claim this is the love of our faith)
LODUS- playful , flirtatious love
PRAGMA- committed, long-lasting love
PHILAUTIA- self-love
Perhaps I could write only posts concerning love during the "Love" month. I will think about that tomorrow, Scarlett. Today I want to speak of what I consider an essential element of love- Self-Love. How can we love anyone else, if we do not learn to love ourselves? As I thought this over, I realized though we certainly do not like everything about ourselves, we need to love ourselves---our life. Can we truly live life to the best if we do not love ourselves? Our life is a gift from God. A God who loves us unconditionally--without boundary. If we love God-----and He loves us----who are we to deny ourselves love? NOW---that is a deep thought! I am going to stop right there, because I want you to REALLY think about that after you read this verse.
"Love the Lord you God with all your heart and
with all your heart
and with all your soul
and with all your mind
and with all your strength.
The second is this:
'Love your neighbor
as YOURSELF.'
There is no commandment greater than these."
Mark 12:30-31
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Absolutely, Lulu! If we don't love ourselves, it's impossible to adequately love others. This month of love means more to me now than ever before.
ReplyDeleteBlessings, my friend!
Hope you are home and Danny is doing well. Love makes the world go round-smile.
DeleteBlessings!
Overarching all the definitions and uses is hesed the covenantal steadfast always keeping His promises love of God.
ReplyDeleteAnd I have a different understanding of the verse as we “as yourself”. I don’t think we have to work at or learn to love ourselves. Even in our poor self esteem, etc of the ways we spin the idea, self is still our first reference point. Example am I willing to give others the same benefit of the doubt as consistently give myself?
Just a thought for your month of love blogs. 🙏🏼❤️
Hmm- going to think on that one. Worthy of discussion, but my first thought is I am harder on myself than anyone else. And YES- God is the author - creator of love.
DeleteBlessings
Lulu