What is Love?

What is love? In the little pastor's group I'm a part of, that was the question our mentor had for us. When he asked, the definition seemed too big to express in a sentence. Beyond that, in the back of my head I could only hear the lyrics to Haddaway's chart topper running through my head. (I may have even started slightly bobbing my head...admit it, you're doing it now)He gave us two weeks to come up with our definition. The qualifications for the answer:1. It had to express the way the Trinity loves on another.2. It had to express God's love for us.3. It had to express how we love God.4. It had to express how we love one another.Our group has been focusing on discipleship. Namely, how do we help disciple our congregations? How do we help them grow to be more like Jesus? He pointed us to John 14:15:

If you love me, keep my commands.

Then pointed out the way Jesus summarized the law and prophets in Matthew 22,

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.

So if the Great Commission is to make disciples, and disciples are to obey Jesus command, and Jesus command is to love God and love people...then love is the curriculum. Not the soft squishy love of Hollywood. Not being nice (Check Jesus' record, not nice...just good). But real tangible love. What is it?Here is the definition I have settled on. It was the best of what all of us brought to the table yesterday:

Love is the willful behavior of seeking the highest good for another in word, heart, and deed.

For my own good, I'm going to unpack that in pieces over the next few days. Hopefully it will be as challenging for you as it has been so far (and will continue to be) to me.By His Grace, For His Glory,Shaun