I don't know what love means. Kinda sucks to admit, but its true. So much is involved in any "love relationship", whether it's family, romantic or friendship. Augustine, who was a crazy smart Christian philosopher, said that in any "love relationship" there is a lover, the loved and the love itself. In order to properly love someone else (the loved), the person loving (the lover) must first love themselves. He also stressed the fact that the love itself only comes from GOD (1 John 4:7-21). That's a mind trip, huh.... (Random thought but isn't it crazy that the Greeks recognized 4 different types of love? agape, philia, eros and storge?... Check 'em out sometime.)
Anyway... Augustine believed that if one of these ingredients to a "love relationship" were missing then it wasn't worthy of being called love. It was only worthy of being called an infatuation... Which means I'm one infatuated individual... and I do not love myself, others or consistently seek the Lord. How about you?
Again, let me be brief. Let us seek love-- On a personal basis, on a neighborly basis and even a communal basis. Read 1 John 4:7-21 and let it blow your mind. Until next time, word to your consciousness. God is love... which is sooo good :)
Well Christ calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves. So in order to treat someone as you would want to be treated, you have to treat yourself that way. THAT'S a mind trip.
ReplyDeleteThat love can only come from God is obvious (at least to me) because God IS Love. And since He is love, we can only receive it from it's True Source.
But great points. It's been a while since I've thought of the lover, loved, and love itself aspect though. Augustine's legit.