Cultivate Love: 3 Steps

Click here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. What is love? It’s a word we often use, but do we really know what it means? Although the ancient Greeks had several words for love, “agape” is the term that appears 259 times in the New Testament. This word refers to an unconditional, sacrificial kind of love that combines feeling and action. A classic definition of agape love is to will the good of the other; it means wanting what is best for another person and actually working for their good. This is much easier said than done!  Like the other Fruit of the Spirit, we cannot force growth in this area, but we can cultivate a life with God that yields love in us and around us. If we are to grow in our ability to love, we must both know what love is and want to love. Then, through prayer and practice, we can become people for whom loving others becomes second nature.