Pancakes are tasty! Covering them with butter and syrup is sure to make the face smile. Although pancakes taste good this way, there is arguably a missing ingredient that takes them to another level—chocolate chips. Mixing chocolate chips into the batter delivers taste that adds scrumptious noises to the smile. “Mmmmm these are delicious; uh so good,” you think. Now, the pancakes are still good without chocolate chips, but with them, they feel a little more complete.

Love has been defined differently to me in my eighteen years as a Christian. Initially, a teacher taught that love is giving so others can gain, and I believe this is true. Love gives for the other person with no strings attached; there is no expectation for the receiver to reciprocate. Years later, another teacher instructed that love is loyalty. This definition brought hesitancy on my part, but when applied to God it made much sense. God is loved through our loyalty to Him.

In preparing to teach a passage from Galatians 5 a few years ago, my understanding of love was instructed yet again. By looking up the word “love” (agape) in two dictionary entries¹, love was expressed as interest, high regard, and deep appreciation for another. While my definitions of love were not incorrect, I think they were missing an important element. Love does not just give; it is not just loyal, but it has a high regard and interest for the other person. Love is not just an action, but an attitude that genuinely regards the value and highest good of another person. This attitude felt like the missing ingredient in my love.

God has graciously given us freedom in Christ. The apostle Paul is clear on this and what we are to do with that freedom. Stand fast in Christ alone (Gal. 5:1) and serve one another through love (Gal. 5:13). As you go about your life, begin to see others with high value. Your spouse has high value. Your children have high value. Likewise, your boss, your neighbor, your extended family, your friends, even your enemies all possess high value because God has given it to them (Gen. 1:27). Although people may not always be so pleasant or act so lovely, they still possess high value and are to be objects of our love as Christians. What a shift of mindset! As you pass people today, begin to see and treat them with high value. That’s how Jesus treats you. Praise God for His example to us in salvation and daily life.

Galatians 5:13 — “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”