Real Love

Q: How would you define love? I mean, how do you know if your love for someone else is real? Or more importantly, how do you know if their love for you is real?

A: Of course 1 Corinthians 13 ("Love is patient ...") is the defining Scripture for what love is or isn't. From a practical application perspective, I think you have to look at that (1 Corinthians 13) as the foundation and start building on it. The first thing you have to notice is that love is action and not feeling or emotion. You may have strong feelings or emotions ... but they aren't love.

Then we have to consider what actions constitute love. Typically their acts of sacrifice, of consideration, of unmerited favor. They're selfless acts. They're thoughtful acts. Real love is focused on the object of love ... with absolutely no regard for what's in it for itself. So, for example, if I say I love you, that love is only real when my love for you has no regard for what you can give me in return. In fact, real love expects or demands nothing in return.