What is love?

What is love? Is it subjective or objective? Love, a short word that’s often misused in this world. People just claim to love others based on transient emotions. The bigger question is, do people even know when they love or do they just utter the phrase “I love you” because it feels right? I believe that the definition of love is simple but intricate. For long I believed the secular and shallow meaning of love. The “love” that was associated with affection, infatuation and adoration. The love that was dependent on transactional and transient emotions. The love that was ready to crumble at any face of hardship and inconvenience. I believed this definition of love until I read what the Bible had to say about love. The Bible gives a profound definition of love. To sum up the verse “1Corinthians13:4-7” which talks about love, it simply says love is selfless. Every quality and character described in that verse is a quality that doesn’t hurt the other person. The profound and biblical meaning of love is sacrificial, selfless and isn’t dependent on wavering emotions. It’s deep rooted in the heart and it sticks through all tribulations. Loving someone is simply caring so much about the other person that it’s no longer yourself you think about, but the other person. This meaning has made me realize that I don’t love as many people as I thought I did, I just like them. Love is beyond mere emotions. I believe it’s the most significant force that could alter a human being. It consumes you and eats you alive to the point that you are living for the other person. I believe that love is beyond any other emotion because love is what gave me my life. Love is what opens my eyes everyday, love is the reason I am saved, love is what drove Jesus to humble himself and become a human being to be tormented for my salvation, love is forgiving others, love is selflessness. Love is the reason this universe exists. No other emotion is as powerful as love. Seeing it easily roll off of people’s tongue is sometimes heartbreaking as they’re misusing the word love. Some people believe that love is subjective, and some believe that it’s objective . I believe that love in its purest form, is objective. Love is definitively objective. Humans all act the same way when they love someone. Although it differs partially by insignificant expressions, it all comes down to selflessness. The misconception of the definition of love is what leads people into believing that the definition of love could be subjective. We all think we know what love is, until we try to live it. So maybe the real question isn’t who do you love— but are you loving them the way love was meant to be lived? Knowing love and living love are completely different. When you live love, love is implemented in the details. Everything you do flows with love. Love is expressed not through mere words, but actions as well. True love doesn’t just speak, it acts. Uttering “I love you” is easy, but love reveals itself when it’s hardest to give. Forgiving someone after they wronged you is love, giving, when people are in need is love, staying, when having the option to leave is love. Love isn’t an ephemeral state, it’s perennial decision. Love is measured by sacrifice, rather than feelings. When you understand that you’re unconditionally loved by God, you comprehend love on a deeper level. You start loving others not gain anything in return , but simply because you were loved first. So the next you think or feel you love someone, examine your actions, not your words or emotions.