What do we really think of the L word . . . Love?

I've noticed, more and more lately, that the L word (Love) gets thrown around more and more lately. . . but what do we really think?

Is it possible to love someone that you've only just met?

I have a hard time believing that love is a feeling, or an emotion - because when emotion fades what is left? Is it really that state of euphoria or infatuation that is supposed to last forever? Let's be realistic. Does that honestly happen forever, not just in relationships, but in work, classes, friendships, and anything else that we get involved in?

I don't know about it all, and I know that even I (a guy at almost 21, scary! I know!) have a lot to learn about love. . . but what does the Bible say about the topic of love?

In 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (yeah, it's the verses that almost everyone quotes on love) the Bible says that love is so much more than we could really comprehend. It is patient when we have no tolerance for those around us. It is kind, when we really want to say some choice words to that guy that just cut us off in traffic. It is not arrogant or rude, when we want to tell that cheerleader what we "really" think of her. It doesn't want it's own way . . . and the list goes on and on. See love is more than just a word, a feeling, or an infatuation - it's a choice to make the most of each moment by giving the best pieces of our heart to everyone around us.

Continually in Scripture, Christ, his disciples and his followers call us to love one another with a type of affection that transcends words. It's the type of love that you can't really put into a sentence or describe to people, but you just have to experience to understand it. This is the type of love that was meant to ooze and flow out of every crack, pore, and facet of the body of Christ. We were meant to give our whole hearts, affections, trust, patience, time, possessions, effort, and everything that we are as humans to one another. . . sharing in both the good and bad times. Grieving with one another when one grieves, and celebrating with each other when there is a cause for celebration.

So if I would have anything to say, that you could remember from reading all of this, it would have to be that love isn't something that is just said . . . it's given, time-tested, and experienced.

So today, why don't we really try and love someone - the way that Christ intended.