Friday, April 13, 2012

L IS FOR LOVE — OF WHICH WE NEED MORE.

Three things last:
faith, hope, and love,
but the greatest of them
is love.  ~ Saul of Tarsus, Christian Apostle

Hatred does not cease by hatred,
but only by love; 
this is the eternal rule.  ~ Gautama Buddha

Bear, being short on time, but wanting to "hang in" with the A - Z Challenge, will be brief.

I was asked sometime ago by a friend, how to define the word "love," as it appears in the Bible. He was really unsatisfied with a lot of the current language that is being used.

I said perhaps compassion would be the best word in our time and place.

He wrote back, saying, "Yeah. That works."

I'm not thinking of erotic attraction or friendship. The love I'm considering in intentional. It doesn't depend on liking, or not liking, a person or people.

That's why it runs all the way of simple kindness to complex justice, which has been my point for the last couple of days.

21 comments:

Murr Brewster said...

I think in the good old King James the word was "charity," the meaning of which has slid sideways over time. It's closer to your compassion. Love you Bear!

Unknown said...

Here, here!
(Agape) love is all we need!

DJan said...

Love is also kind of nice to feel, on either end, giving or receiving. Much nicer than hatred, which feels icky.

ReformingGeek said...

A dog with his favorite human will show anyone what love is.

A cat? Well, they will rub against you one minute and claw you the next. Sheesh.

:)

Irene said...

Compassion is what I like. I think it describes love best. It's what I feel often even when other feelings are not present. I can always feel compassion. Thank you for the wise lesson. xox

Chatty Crone said...

I think there is a song - What the world needs now, is love sweet love . . . right? sandie

kj said...

yup.

and i think reforming geek has it just right. dogs love. unconditionally. loyally. enthusiastically.

hope you are feeling okay, bear.

love
kj

Exmoorjane said...

Ah, I don't even try to define. Love transcends all description. But I know what you mean... :) Unconditional acceptance?

Rubye Jack said...

Perfect love eh?
So close and yet so far.

Suburbia said...

Love is such a hopeless word, we need more than those 4 letters to convey such a diverse feeling.

Thanks Bear

Rosaria Williams said...

Simply put, and very satisfying Bear!

Jackie said...

Love and grace...two words that bring our Lord Jesus Christ to mind.

Think Positive, Be Positive said...

Hi...I'm hopping over from the A to Z challenge...lovely blog...good luck with the challenge!

Donna L Martin
www.donasdays.blogspot.com

Rob-bear said...

Thanks everyone for your comments. Bear is a bit busier with his new work that he planned, but things are coming together.

Thanks so much for your comments! I love getting comments. They're more fun then getting hunny!

Rob-bear said...

® Murr Brewster: The meaning of "charity" has "slide sideways," as you put it so wisely. We're getting fouled up in language, so we need to find better words. Said the journalist.

® Jacqueline: Thank you; agape is much of what we need.

® DJan: Love feels good, hate feels icky. Yup! Thanks.

® Reforming Geek: Dogs have owners; cats have staff. That about covers it.

Rob-bear said...

® Irene: Compassion has become a word which figures prominently in my vocabulary these days.

® Chatty Crone: Yes; lyrics by Hal David and music composed by Burt Bacharach, made popular in 1965 by Jackie DeShannon. (I think we just told the world how old we are, more or less.)

® kj: You nailed it. And Bear is doing well, thanks.

® Exmoorjane: "Unconditional acceptance" is good. Thanks.

Rob-bear said...

® Rubye Jack: Would be nice if we could get that "nailed down," wouldn't it.

® Suburbia: The Greeks had three words which we lump together as "love." Does that make them smarter, or better lovers, than we are?

® roasaria williams: Thanks.

® Jackie: Indeed.

® Donna Martin: Thank you so much for dropping by. I've been a bit draggy in my visiting, but I'm planning to come your way.

That Janie Girl said...

We definitely need more love - of what I call the hookless kind. It has no hooks in it. It's pure.

You know, the kind that demands nothing in return.

About Last Weekend said...

I am loving the "Hatred does not cease by hatred." So so true...

susan said...

Loving kindness works very well.

Survivormama said...

Intentional love is the best kind...for it does not depend on feelings, it is intentional and with no strings attached (Agape love)