What
is Love?
Ellen White
wrote extensively on the matter of love. For your meditation
we present the following humble attempt at a summary of her
many thoughts on this grand subject.
Love
is as broad as the world and as high as heaven; it is calm and
deep in its nature. It looks beyond mere externals and is
attracted by qualities alone. It is wise and discriminating;
its devotion is real and abiding. It is gentle, kind and
compassionate. It is the key that opens hearts. Love is
precious and it never loses its value. It is diffusive in its
nature and quiet in its operation, yet strong and mighty in
its purpose.
Love
is power. The power of wealth has a tendency to corrupt and
destroy; the power of force is strong to do hurt; but the
excellence and value of pure love consists in its efficiency to
do good, and to do nothing other than good.
Love should be the
ruling principle of all actions. Whatsoever is done out of
pure love, be it ever so contemptible in the sight of men, is
wholly fruitful.
Love
is characterized by thoughtful kindness and gentle courtesy.
It will lead to a constant effort to make another happy, and
is in itself the major essential to happiness. The possessor
of love cannot but be happy.
Love extends and diffuses its
nature to others. It refines and elevates. It gives love
rather than demand it. Love does not work for profit or
reward. When love is cherished in the soul it sweetens the
life and sheds a refining influence on all around. It imparts
to its possessor grace, propriety and comeliness of
deportment. Intellectual and moral strength are involved in
this principle, and cannot be separated from it.
Love
never needlessly exposes the faults of others and will not
impute wrong motives or evil intentions to others. Love always
places the most favourable construction on the motives and
acts of others, and seeks to bring to mind some good qualities
of those defamed. Love fills the heart with sorrow at the
errors and weaknesses of others. It does not observe little
mistakes. It does not listen eagerly to unfavorable reports,
for love cannot walk alongside distrust, jealousy, hate and
anger.
Love
will achieve what argument, persuasion, authority, and
severity will never do. It will do more than all the censuring
and faultfinding to subdue a hasty temper. It will soften the
hardest heart, it will change pride to humility, and it will
subdue all enmity. Love modifies the character, governs the
impulses, illuminates the countenance, controls the passions,
and ennobles the affections.
Love promotes health, prolongs
life and expands the soul.
True
love is not a strong, fiery, impetuous passion, nor is it a
feeling, an impulse, or an emotion. Love is not selfish. It is
never unreasonable. It is never spasmodic in its
manifestations. Love is not dependent on circumstances and is
not a mere exchange of soft and flattering words.
Love
finds expression in looks, words and acts, and has a melting
and transforming character. It cannot live without action and
exercise, and every act increases, strengthens, and extends
it. It is like a fire that cannot be kept alive without fuel.
It doesn't just happen, it is cultivated. Love never stops to
look back at her kindly deeds, but patiently continues from horizon to
horizon in pursuit of the happiness of others.
The
service of love constitutes real greatness. It should be
cherished and cultivated, for its influence is divine.
Love
often matures best amid storm clouds and darkness.
(Adapted
From The Writings Of Ellen White) |