All throughout the Bible, there are different and distinct types of love that are mentioned. In the greek, there are four words to define different types of love:  agape, eros, philio, and storge.  The most powerful form of love is agape, the love that God has for us.  It is the essence of God, it is who he is.  

“Whoever does not love, does not know God, because God is love.” -1 John 4:7 NIV

God’s love is not a mystery, waiting to be revealed.  His agape love is always present.  His love is something that we as believers can see, feel, and hear through our personal lives and lives of others around us.  His love touches hearts, into the very depths of them.  It is seen in chaos and quiet, joy and pain.  It can be found anytime and anywhere, and is there for all of us in all seasons of life.  

1 Corinthians 13:4-8  focuses on love and states what love is, it shows us characteristics of God’s love and the kind of love we are to show others. It is a deep kind of love that can only be shown when God is working in us and through us. The love he shows us is agape love, and we are to show others that same kind of love since our love is a reflection of his.  We cannot show this selfless love unless we first accept his agape love. 

One of the characteristics of love listed in 1 Corinthians 13:5 actually tells us what love is not, “love is not self-seeking”.  This passage warns us against being self-seeking.  It does not only mean that we are not to be selfish, but also that we are not to seek our own ways, needs, or priorities.  There is a slight difference between being selfish and being self-seeking.  Selfishness is the result of what is in our hearts, the desire to put ourselves first;  being self-seeking is not only putting ourselves first but also insisting that we have our own way, that our needs take priority in our hearts and actions.  

Throughout the whole Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, God’s love is not one that is self-seeking but instead, it is selfless.  His love seeks to bring us to him, a God who desires to provide us with what our hearts need. His love brings joy, peace, and mercy.  His love brought Jesus to the cross, selflessly sacrificing himself so we can be forgiven.  

We are not to be self-seeking but instead, to seek the needs of others , to see and look after their needs and interests above our own.  Not only are we called to put ourselves aside, but we are also to search for the needs of others.  We are called to seek ways to help and give to others.  We are to seek their hearts and show them the kind of love that God has for us

In Luke 10:27, Jesus tells us to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”  He then goes on to say “love your neighbor as yourself.”.  

It is important to note the order of this instruction from our Lord.   In this Bible verse, Jesus says that the greatest commandment is to love God with all we have, and then immediately after, he calls us to exhibit that love by loving others as ourselves.  

The love God calls us to is a love that is active.  It is seen both in action and deed but it does not come naturally to us.  Our hearts are naturally more focused on our needs and wants, which is why loving others selflessly can only come from God’s presence.  

This kind of love talked about in both 1 Corinthians, Luke 10, and 1 John 4 is at its heart selfless and not self-seeking.  It does not insist on being right or viewing ourselves as more important and valuable than others.  Instead, it insists that others are more valued than ourselves.  It insists on showing them that they are more important than us in a very real way so they can see and feel their value in our actions.  Instead of a love that is self-focused, we are to show a love that is others-focused.  

“Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”-Philippians 2:4 NIV

In all these verses, we are commanded to intentionally love and this is not to be taken lightly.  Following this command can only come when we seek God and allow him in our hearts.  It is a call to constantly be aware of others and their needs, as we are aware of ourselves and our needs.

Showing agape love to others means that we do not put ourselves first.  We love others more than we love ourselves.  We do not seek our own interests,  needs and wants.  We do not insist on having our own way.  Instead, we look for ways to see and meet the needs and desires of others.  We seek ways to provide love to them instead of seeking our own wants and desires.  We desire for them to see Christ-like love in our actions, turning their hearts to the Lord so they can in turn, show others the same kind of selfless love. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Andrea Buie grew up as a South Carolina girl who currently lives in Georgia but her heart is in Colorado. She lived in CO for 5 years and was able to work for a Christian worldview organization called Summit Ministries. Her marriage is an example of how it's great to wait for God's perfect timing. She didn't get married until she was 40 and has never regretted the wait since her husband is perfect for her. Together, they have a furbaby named Maya and they love to take her on walks at the park near their home in Atlanta.