Principled Love
Love is marvelous, and in short supply,
according to the song:
"What the world needs now
Is love sweet love
That's the only thing
That there's just too little of"
Not only the song, but many people have
occasionally been heard to express the belief that
"there's not enough love in the world".
Undoubtedly, such expressions refer to principled
love, love which rises above all obstacles and
circumstances, and which results in feelings of
irrepressible joy. But such love goes beyond
human understanding, and may be equated with God, as
John even defined God as love: "God is love" (1John
4:8,16). John also wrote: "The love is in this
respect, not that we have loved God, but that he
loved us" (1John 4:10). You see, we are not
born as automatic love machines. Rather, we
love because of the love which has been shown to us.
People have to first be shown love in order
to show it (1John 4:19).
That Jesus understood the power of
love's example is shown by the fact that he said,
"I am giving you a new commandment, that you love
one another; just as I have loved you, that you
also love one another" (John 13:34). Jesus
also said, "No one has love greater than this, that
someone should surrender his soul in behalf of his
friends" (John 15:13). Thus principled love
involves sacrifice. This love is not like
going to war to kill others and perhaps lay down
one's own life in the name of "love of country".
Neither is it like the "love of money", which
makes enemies of any who can't aid in the attainment
of some financial goal. No, principled love,
on the contrary, demands that we love even our
enemies (Matthew 5:44). Principled love also
recognizes that, although we do love all men, it is
natural and right for us to love more especially
those people with whom we share common values
(Galatians 6:10).
Viewing the others as superior to
ourselves (Philippians 2:3), in love we humble
ourselves.