Love comes from two separate root words - agape and phileo
Agape - used to define "good will, in love"
Phileo - used to define "tender affection, brotherlyScripture tells us to have both of these types of love for one another.
How can we show our love for one another?
A. We can be there for each other - in good times and bad. We should be there even if it seems that everyone else has deserted them (Ephesians 4:2)
B. Act on our feelings (1 Peter 3:8)
C. Be trustworthy (1 Timothy 6:20). Be worthy of someone else's trust - when someone needs to confide in you, be "trust worthy."
D. Don't assume anything. If we assume that someone really does not need our attention, we will never make the effort to investigate their problem.
How can we show others our need for love?
A. Ask for help (Romans 12:10). We cannot read each other's minds. Simply asking for help may be the best thing we can do.
B. Accept help when it is offered to us (Acts 8:30-31). We should accept the help offered to us by a brother for the same reason he offered it - we should accept it out of love.
C. Again don't assume anything. Don't think someone has some ulterior motive for helping you. If anything, assume only that they desire to help out of genuine concern and love for you.
Without love, everything else we do is worthless. Imagine a world without love - the loneliness, the emptiness, the chaos (Matthew 19:19). Christians should be love's starting point (John 13:34,35; 1 Thessalonians 3:12)
Ephesians 4:2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love
1 Peter 3:8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous.
1 Timothy 6:20 O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called.
Romans 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
Acts 8:30,31
30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.Matthew 19:19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
John 13:34,35
34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
35By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.1 Thessalonians 3:12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you.
