Around this time of the year, it's common to see lots of red and pink heart-shaped balloons, flowers, teddy bears, chocolates, and sentimental cards in the stores. A statistic from Forbes in 2024 claims that those in the US spend nearly 26 billion dollars on Valentine's Day. We spend a lot of time, money, and effort to make those around us feel loved.

Love is a prominent topic in the Bible. Over and over again God assures us of His love for us and commands us to love others. But what does the Bible have to say about love? What is the definition of love?

In his book The Four Loves, C.S. Lewis explains that there are four kinds of love in the Bible. He calls them by their Greek names: storge (affection), philia (friendship), eros (romantic), and agape (Christ-like love).

The first three loves are familiar to most of us. But agape is a term that doesn't get used a lot and when it is used, doesn't come with a concrete definition. I'm a person who loves solid definitions, so naturally I searched and searched until, with the help of a concordance, I found that the most concise interpretation of agape was found in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a (NASB):

"Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant. It does not act disgracefully, it does not seek its own benefit; it is not provoked, does not keep an account of a wrong suffered, it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; it keeps every confidence, it believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails."

Agape is the most selfless love; it's also supports the other three loves. The other loves are based on emotions or our whims. Agape isn't; it's based on how we're supposed to act. 

How do we show love to those in our lives? Below are just a few suggestions to get you started!

Gary Chapman developed the five love languages idea years ago and since then thousands of people have experienced a revolution in their relationships. Dozens of articles have been written on the topic, so I won't delve into it here. But speaking someone's love language is a powerful of communicating your love for them.

We all screw up and do dumb stuff. When those in our lives make mistakes, it's important to forgive them and not hold a grudge. Forgiveness shows we're willing to move on and put the incident behind us. This is important in any relationship and it demonstrates love.

It's easy to overlook all the things people do for us, especially if we live with them. Taking the time to thank someone for something they do tells them the little things don't go unnoticed. It will mean the world to them.

It's amazing how often we don't say those three little words to people who mean everything to us. Don't forget this phrase; I love you may be three syllables, but it's three syllables that can make a huge difference.

Love and respect go hand in hand. The online Cambridge Dictionary defines respect as "politeness, honor, and care shown toward someone or something that is considered important" and "to feel or show admiration for someone or something that you believe has good ideas or qualities". Showing respect is a lost art in our culture. Don't forget to demonstrate it towards your loved ones. 

In other words, have conversation. Whenever possible, make it a media free conversation. Take the time to communicate and listen to what others have to say. This strengthens bonds like nothing else does.

Everyone is quick to remind us of our to-do list. I'm here to tell you to ditch the to-do list and have fun together. Go get coffee, laugh over ridiculous memes, bake something high in sugar. While responsibility is important, having fun is as well.

Serving someone means putting their needs above yours. Diverting from what we want to focus on what another person wants or needs can be challenging, but it's a great way to show someone you care.

What does love look like to you? Tell me in the comments below!