The above scripture comes from John 13: 34; yet, how many people having read those words, actually bother to live such in thought, in action, and in deed? There are plenty of people that talk about how they love this or love that, or claim that they love someone or love something, therefore signifying that they are loving, but in actuality often their love doesn’t really hold a candle to what this scripture so represents about love.
People really aren’t interested in those that exhibit only that which would be best described as a “fair weather” love, in which, when things are going just fine -- kindness, compassion, and concern abound; but when things go awry, somehow that love, turns thereby to hate, or jealousy, or becomes vengeful. Obviously, a love such as that, doesn’t deserve the designation of love, because that which is real love, always wishes the best for the other, and further to the point, real love, is unconditional, and therefore is never dependent upon the behavior or the actions of the beloved, for to do so, would make that kind of expressed love, conditional.
Each of us should want to be treated the way that ideally, we so desire to be treated, which often consists of attributes such as consideration, patience, forgiveness, concern, empathy, and love; as contrasted to that very long and lengthy list of negative attributes, which we would wish to have minimized as much as possible in being imposed upon us. So then, this signifies, that those that learn their lessons well, must aspire to live those valued lessons in their subsequent actions that they so take with others, and their interactions, so of.
When we think about the people that we admire and respect the most, it isn’t so much that we need to match them in their accomplishments, for often, this isn’t realistic; but rather we have a revered obligation to at a minimum, take on the aura of their noble aspects and to make that part and parcel of our dealings with others, and further to the point, to make this part of how we so see this world, which thereby becomes the ultimate form of respect and tribute to those that we so admire. Further to the point, the good acts that we so commit today, have a lasting effect upon all those that receive such, so that, by doing good, by being loving, we in our own way, help to make society better for our being a part of it.
To have love and to exhibit love in all that we say and do, takes discipline, wisdom, and thoughtfulness; for it is the easiest of things to slip away from love into pettiness and stupidity, which benefits nobody. Those that so easily throw around words such as love, are in their own way, disrespecting what love truly is, for love is patient, kind, and selfless; for all those that truthfully love, are those that have no hidden agendas, and honestly desire that each of us rise up to what we are capable of being, so as to thereby become that which we were always born to be.