If Character Qualities Were Colors

If Character qualities were colors, love would be red. Red.  Most of us associate red and hearts with love and the month of February.  Here we are, entering this most interesting month when we celebrate Valentine’s Day, President’s Day, and this year we have Leap Year Day!   February is one of my favorite months.

Love is red: passionate, determined, bold, tenacious, loyal. . . .  Here at Troy Christian, we have divided the character quality of love into two categories: love toward God and love toward others.  We define Godward love as “being devoted to God as demonstrated by my obedience.” We define love toward others as “doing good to others, meeting needs selflessly.” The opposite of love is selfishness. 

The original languages of the Bible employed a number of words for love, but the most unique and divine love described in the Bible is “agape” love.  Most of you have heard of this love.  This is the pure love of God.  You know, the concept of love not only describes God, but the Bible says that God is Love!  That is, in His essence love is His substance.  Love is who God is! Three times, the New Testament uses this sentence structure: “God is ____.”  “ God is Love” (I John 4:8 ); “God is Spirit” (John 4:24), and “God is light “(I John 1:5).

Our love comes from God’s love.  We cannot love unless God gives us love to give.  Romans 5: 5 says that “the love[agape] of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”  He pitcher is bigger than our hearts, so when he pours His love into our hearts, it’s enough to fill us up, and it’s supposed to well up and splash out of us, soaking everyone around us!

I began this post by saying that if character qualities were colors, love would be red. Well, isn’t the color of Valentine’s Day red and isn’t this day about showing love?  Of course. Yet, there is a huge gap between “agape” love and the symbols of “love” at this season.  Symbols are great as long as there are strong, loyal, giving actions behind the symbols to back them up.

In what ways are your expressions of love more than colorful symbols?

Karen