A good 4 letter word???

What is love?  Here are some simple definitions that I found on the web: What do you think?

• a strong positive emotion of regard and affection; "his love for his work"; "children need a lot of love"
• any object of warm affection or devotion; "the theater was her first love"; "he has a passion for cock fighting";
• have a great affection or liking for; "I love French food"; "She loves her boss and works hard for him"
• beloved: a beloved person; used as terms of endearment
• get pleasure from; "I love cooking"
• a deep feeling of sexual desire and attraction; "their love left them indifferent to their surroundings"; "she was his first love"
• be enamored or in love with; "She loves her husband deeply"
• a score of zero in tennis or squash; "it was 40 love"
• sleep together: have sexual intercourse with; "This student sleeps with everyone in her dorm"; "Adam knew Eve"; "Were you ever intimate with this man?"
• sexual love: sexual activities (often including sexual intercourse) between two people; "his lovemaking disgusted her"; "he hadn't had any love in months"; "he has a very complicated love life"
  wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

The issue I see here is there is no clear understanding of what love is, the reason?  Our language has perverted the word love.  If I love my wife but I love my car, is there a difference?  Well yeah but the word is exactly the same.  To get the true definition of what love really means lets look at the source.  Your beliefs may differ from mine and thats fine, but the Idea's that I am going to talk about should hold true.  God is the source of love, real love.  In Greek there are at least 3 different words to show how someone feels Eros, Philia, and Agape.
 
Eros- is the kind of "love" someone would use when they are attracted or infatuated with someone.  It could even be used as a sexual kind of love but it is based on situation and or circumstances.
Philia- This is the natural feeling of "love" for a sister brother or even a good friend, but is again based on circumstance.
Agape- This is real LOVE.  Agape is based on a decision to love someone, not a feeling or simple attraction.  It is sacrificial, has no strings attached, and is unconditional.  I get up every morning and decide to love(agape) my wife.


So what does it mean to Love (Agape)?  To really love?


To really love someone, is to give up your life for them..  " Greater love (agape) has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.  -John 15:13.


This does not specifically mean dying.  Dying for someone is easy, but putting their needs ahead of your own while living, now thats tough.  Thats love. That is laying down your life for them, making their wants and needs higher than yours or anyone else's. 

How does this fit into our lives?  Love is an amazing thing.  -⁴Love ^(C)is patient, love is kind and ^(D)is not jealous; love does not brag and is not ^(E)arrogant,

 ⁵does not act unbecomingly; it ^(F)does not seek its own, is not provoked, ^(G)does not take into account a wrong suffered, -1 Corithians 13:3-5

If we could simply gain this perspective on love, and follow the command to "love" your neighbor as yourself, think of the impact it could have on this world.  Here is my challenge.  I know there is someone in your life that may annoy you, or even drive you nutts.  Now think of that person real hard.... time to make your choice, love them? Or not?  Its up to you.