Where Is The Love?

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV

Merram-Webster has numerous definitions of love. The 4th definition is most apropos for this blog.
4a. unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another: such as 1. the fatherly concern of God for humankind kind. 2.brotherly concern for others 3. a person's adoration of God.

All one has to do is watch the evening news to see how unloving this world has become. People film footage of all kinds of accidents instead of calling the proper authorities, seriously impacting, negatively, the life of the injured. Instead of calling the police for brawls, phones again, are whipped out, only to be shared on Facebook live or World Star. People crave entertainment in whatever form they can get. If someone dies, is maimed or even overdoses, today's populace prefer to film it, rather than try to end the suffering. Hearts are hardened. Very few seem to care. In the words or Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway, WHERE IS THE LOVE??? Why is entertainment so much more preferable than lending a helping hand?

I feel the reason for this is how we are bombarded with so much ugliness, day in, day out, that slowly but surely, we're losing out humanity. Mayhem on television, movies and the nightly news. We're also shown life's degradation on social media While it

should be gratifying to have an ambulance pull up to treat the injured, today, it's almost a disappointment. Again, I ask, WHERE IS THE LOVE?

Ever notice how many likes feel good stories get on Facebook or Instagram. It's extremely heartwarming to see little second graders raising money to replenish the lunch accounts of their classmates unable to do so. Or that teen going out in freezing/scorching weather to shovel snow/cut grass for aged neighbors. What about the one where the fast food worker takes the time to feed the customer with Parkinson's disease.  And the cops who live up to their creed to SERVE and protect, run out and buy car seats to avoid giving a young mom a ticket because she cannot afford a child seat.  All of these  stories uplift. It's a reminder that there is goodness in the world today. Dare I say it,  love. I really think we're hardwired to love from birth. But then our upbringing, circumstances, and hateful rhetoric from those who look like us stifle this feeling, this desire to share and give love.

Faith is a wonderful thing. A firm belief in something, or that something will occur for which there is no proof. Hope, too is a wonderful thing. As long as you are breathing, there's hope for any situation.  Hope is an optimistic attitude of mind based on expectation or desire. Faith says it is so NOW, and hope says in the future it could happen.

But the greatest of these is love. Love. Agape (Ancient Greek) is a Greco-Christian term referring to love, "the highest form of love, charity" and the "love of God for man and of man for God." When you have this type of love, for God, that love, in turn, reaches out to others. Others, outside of the four walls of your home or church. There are four main types of love, Storge- empathy bond. Philia- friend bond. Eros- romantic love, and Agape- unconditional God love.

God's love for us, Agape is unconditional. Our love for one another should be unconditional. But He requires we must rise to the occasion, put the phone done, and get them the help they need. Ok you don't like them. But love will make you move. Love will make you do the right thing. Love.

We, as humans, have conditions for everything. If you don't do this, I'll withhold my love. If you do that, I'll withhold my love. This is so opposite the love we are to emulate. To strive for.  God says the greatest of the three is love. But we struggle with that. It really shouldn't be so difficult, since we're directed to do so. But it can be. People treat us poorly and not only do we cease to love them, if we're not careful, hate creeps in. Conversely, some people, although we love them, for our sanity, we must keep them at arm's length. To love them from afar. But loving one another is a mandate. God wants, no, God expects adherence to this request.

The best way to accomplish this is to follow the golden rule. Treat others as you'd like to be treated. The kindness you want bestowed on you, bestow it on others. Love. Love it not easy. This is a hateful world, chock full of people who will push your buttons, simply because they know where they are and can. Loveless people run governments, municipalities, and schools. Loveless people shoot up neighborhoods and blocks they'll never own killing innocent people in the wake.

Martin L. King Jr. said, "Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.

So let's try to love one another. Really love each other. And yes, you won't like everyone, but despite themselves and you, you can love them. Just respect them. Start there. Ask God to help you love people you've deemed unlovable. So see them through His eyes.

What the world need now, is love, sweet love, it's the only thing that there's much too little of.
What the world needs now is love, sweet love, No not just for some, but for everyone.
Burt Bacharach/Hal David~~Songwriters.

Ninakupenda
Kupendana