Or so the advertisers and card companies would push us to believe. Christians understand love, any kind of love, as a gift from God:
"Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love." (1 John 4:7-8)
All love, romantic, filial, of parent and child, or friends, is measured against the love that God in Christ has for us:
"God's love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins." (1 John 4:9-10)
And so, we are to love one another:
"Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us." (1 John 4:11-12)
And we are to love the world. This love is not seen through rose colored glasses, it is not naïve, but it also does not balk at the hard work that love is.
Sometimes, love looks like what we see in the tv commercials. Sometimes love is showing up to build a Habitat house, or working at the food pantry, sometimes love is marching or legislating to end homelessness and hunger, so there will be no need for habitat or a food pantry. Sometimes love is taking care of an aging parent; sometimes love is making the hard decision to place that parent or spouse in supported living, where they can receive the best level of care. Sometimes love is saying words of encouragement; at other times words of challenge might be the most loving response.
Love is sacrificial, and costly, of our time and energy and selves. We are called to this love, and these acts of love, by the One who so loves the world. May we love, as God loves us.
