What is Love?

This Saturday, the world celebrates Valentine’s Day. It is a day usually filled with red roses, cards, and chocolate. But at Urafiki Carovana, we are using this week to pause and ask a much bigger question: What is love, really?

While the world often paints love as a "fluttery feeling" or a romantic sentiment, the Bible gives us a much more rugged, beautiful, and practical definition. For children, understanding this distinction is the key to building strong character and lasting friendships.

The Biblical Meaning of Love

In the New Testament, the Greek word most often used for the highest form of love is Agape.

Biblically speaking, love isn't just something that happens to you, it is an action, a choice, and a commitment. Agape is a selfless, sacrificial, and unconditional love. It doesn’t depend on how we feel in the moment; it depends on how we choose to treat others, even when it’s difficult.

Let us take a look at the famous "Love Chapter" in the Bible. 1 Corinthians 13 describes love not by its "vibe," but by its actions:

• Love is patient and kind: It waits its turn on the playground and uses gentle words.

• Love is not proud or boastful: It doesn't brag when it wins a game or gets the highest grade.

• Love is a protector of truth: It chooses to be honest even when it’s hard.

• Love keeps no record of wrongs: It forgives a friend and starts fresh the next day.

As we begin to look toward the Easter season, we see the most vivid picture of love ever painted. The Bible tells us in 1 John 4:8 that "God is love." He didn't just tell us He loved us; He proved it.

We often hear the words of John 3:16:

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son..."

This is the ultimate "Love in Action." As we prepare our hearts for Easter, we remind our students that God’s love was sacrificial. He gave His very best—His only Son—so that we could be saved. When we talk about "laying down our lives" for our friends (John 15:13), we are following the ultimate example set by Jesus.

The Practical Challenge: What is Your Sacrifice?

During this week ask your self this.  "What have I sacrificed so that someone else could be 'saved' from a bad day?"

Sacrifice sounds like a big word for a child, but it shows up in beautiful, small ways:

• Sacrificing my time to help a friend who is struggling with a lesson.

• Sacrificing my "right to be angry" by choosing to offer forgiveness first.

• Sacrificing my place in line so a new student feels welcomed.

• Sacrificing my comfort to stand up for a classmate who is feeling lonely.

When we sacrifice our own wants for the needs of others, we aren't just being "nice"; we are reflecting the heart of God.

Final Thoughts

Love is a verb. It is the decision to seek the best for someone else, just as God sought the best for us.