Paul presents seven qualities of perfect love. (I Corinthians 13) The word used is not eros the romantic love, or storge the family love, or philia the brotherly love, but Agape love.
1) Love Is Patient: A person with this kind of love bears offenses, slow to react or repay or punish when hurt. It is not indifference or a fatalistic attitude, but long-suffering even when there is the power to retribution or revenge. This patient love is an attribute of God. (II Peter 3:9)
2) Love Is Kind: Kindness is revealed in the attitude. A person with kindness treats others with dignity, and courtesy, and seeks the welfare of others. The kindness of a doctor is to provide the treatment, when necessary, even if it is painful. In the same way, loving people are kind, but not blinded by love.
3) Love Always Protects: This kind of love seeks to protect a person, especially those who are tempted. Keeping them safe from the harm, loss, or shame of falling into sin. When a sinner falls, this love will strive to restore and protect, instead to humiliate and condemn the person.
4) Love Always Trusts: The judicial system has a concept called: the benefit of the doubt. That kind of love does not believe in gossip or rumors or imaginative fears, but trusts others and believes in their good intentions.
5) Love Always Hopes: This kind of love trusts that God who has begun His noble work in themselves and others is faithful to complete that. (Philippians 1:6) Trusting the faithful God, a person with this kind of love moves forward and encourages them to look up and move forward.
6) Love Always Perseveres: There would be difficult times of trouble and trial. Amid all those hostile situations, love perseveres without giving up or abandoning faith.
7) Love Never Fails: Paul writes about eternal love that is not limited to this world or time or space. This divine love never ceases. Tongues, prophecies, and knowledge all will become irrelevant in eternity, however, love abides eternally.
Do I fathom that love?