LOVE- My Philosophy

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My Philosophy

The Word LOVE can have a variety of related but distinct meanings in different contexts. Often, other languages use multiple words to express some of the different concepts that English relies mainly on LOVE to encapsulate.
Cultural differences in conceptualizing love thus make it doubly difficult to establish any universal definition.
When discussed in abstract, it usually refers to interpersonal love, an experience felt by a person for another person. Love often involves caring for identifying with a person or thing. Because of the complex nature of Love, discourse on love is commonly reduced to a “thought-terminating cliché” and there are a number of common proverbs regarding love from “VIRGILS” to “love covers all”, “the Beatles”, “all you need is love”, etc.
St. Thomas Aquinas, following Aristotle defines love as “to will the good of another”.
Bertrand Russell describes love as a condition of “absolute value” as opposed to relative value.
Philosopher Gottfried Leibniz said that Love is “to be delighted by the happiness of another”.
Biologist Jeremy Griffith also defines love as “unconditional selflessness”.
The bible says “God is Love”.
Love is also said to be a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion and affection-“the unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another”.

I’d like to consider love itself as a culture, a way of life. Love is one thing, common to all of humanity, it is the one bond that connects us all. That is why different people from a different backgrounds and upbringing can easily live together and tolerate one another. If love were to be understood as a culture, we’ll find out that, there is really no special day to celebrate love because every day comes a renewed expression of love. Love can’t really be expressed by saying you love someone or some set of people, we’ll know if you truly love them if you show it in your actions. Even the bible commands that we should love our neighbours as ourselves (Matthew 22:39).
Now everyone deserves to be loved, it doesn’t matter what race, nationality, colour you are, it doesn’t matter what upbringing or background you have. Everyone deserves to be loved. Now showing the love you profess doesn’t mean you have to put yourself in precarious situations or put yourself in jeopardy, by going out of your way to do things that will cost you more than you can afford, no. That little act of kindness shown, that smile you put on someone’s face, that little token you gave to alleviate someone’s immediate problem, that depressed person you cheered up, the one you gave a shoulder to lean on, the ones you shared their problems, the assistance you gave at the needed time, that sweet word of encouragement, the amazing note of appreciation, all these are what forms the basis for the culture of love. We really don’t need a super mega act to show the world how much we love ourselves.
Jesus also said in the bible that “he who does not love, does not know God” (1 John 4:8a). So, if someone claims not to love another person or some people, or claims to hate them, invariably, such person does not know God, “because God is love” (1 john 4:8b).
Love is the nature of God, it is the culture of his kingdom, so, all of his children must learn of this culture, all of his children must be baptised into this culture. The highest sacrifice of love ever made is that which God sacrificed through Jesus by sending him to die for all of mankind’s atrocities, making atonement for all of our sins with his very own blood, irrespective of who we are or where we come from. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man should lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). If God did that for us, then we have no excuse.
They say that love don’t cost a thing, however, love does actually cost a thing or two, love sometimes requires us going out of our way to see that other are happy, but the joy that comes afterwards, the reward of being good to others is something indescribable, there is reward for every act of love and kindness both here on heart and in heaven.
So, let us together “heal the world and make it a better place,
For you and for me, and the entire human race”.
-Michael Jackson

Finally, the love that God made available through the blood of atonement of Jesus is still available, ever potent. It doesn’t matter who you are, it doesn’t matter what you have done, and he loves you just the way you are. He wants to have a relationship with you, all you need to do is call unto him, the best way you can, he hears you and he’ll come unto you.
Good morning friends.

Faith Oluwaseun Bolaji-Blessing
Team Leader, The Revolution Movement

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