John 3:16-17
On Loving and Giving
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
1 John 4:8
God is Love
8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
Love is many things...When I think of all of the teachings about love, the first thing that comes to my mind is Jesus' teachings on forgiveness...We give out of love...Then, I think about St. Paul's definition in his first letter to the Corinthians in chapter thirteen...I think about how God gives us free will, and does not control us, or our minds and our thoughts...He could at anytime put the thought in everyone's mind to believe in Him, but that would be controlling...When you love someone, you do not want to control them...You want them to be themselves, for the unique and intrinsic valued individual they are...
If you believe that life is no more than mere chance and this randomness, then love of your children, and the love of your family is nothing...If your life is random than love is nothing more than this randomness...Then your feelings are here by mere chance...If you believe that life is no more than randomness, then the chemicals in our DNA are merely here by chance...But why do we long for the passion of love in our lives?...Why do we love our children, family, and friends?...It is either randomness or it is Something Else...Could it be, it is because, we are created in God's image, and God is Love?...
Jesus was a most unique individual...He was the Son of God...He showed much wisdom (in His teachings), much caring (let us look at all of His healing miracles), loving, and humble...Life to Him was much more than a mere chance...He centered His life around God and the teachings of God...
God shows that love is the beautiful gift of giving...The most precious thing in a family is their children...God had only One Child...He gave up His Son for our sins, because He loves us...If you have a family and only one child, think how hard this must be and have been for God to give His One and Only Son...This is love...God is Love...When I think of what love is after rereading St. John's third chapter, I must include giving in my thoughts and in any words on love...