Love—a Divine, Eternal Principle
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interest in his brethren. Love imparts to its possessor grace, propriety,
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and comeliness of deportment. It illuminates the countenance and
subdues the voice; it refines and elevates the entire being.—
Gospel
Workers, 123
(1915).
Love Favorably Interprets Another’s Motives—Charity “doth
not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked,
thinketh no evil” (
1 Corinthians 13:5
). Christlike love places the most
favorable construction on the motives and acts of others. It does not
needlessly expose their faults; it does not listen eagerly to unfavorable
reports, but seeks rather to bring to mind the good qualities of others.—
The Acts of the Apostles, 319
(1911).
Love Sweetens the Entire Life—Those who love God cannot
harbor hatred or envy. When the heavenly principle of eternal love
fills the heart, it will flow out to others....
This love is not contracted so as merely to include “me and mine”
but is as broad as the world and as high as heaven, and is in harmony
with that of the angel workers. This love cherished in the soul sweetens
the entire life and sheds a refining influence on all around. Possessing
it, we cannot but be happy, let fortune smile or frown.
If we love God with all the heart, we must love His children also.
This love is the Spirit of God. It is the heavenly adorning that gives
true nobility and dignity to the soul and assimilates our lives to that of
the Master. No matter how many good qualities we may have, however
honorable and refined we may consider ourselves, if the soul is not
baptized with the heavenly grace of love to God and one another, we
are deficient in true goodness and unfit for heaven, where all is love
and unity.—
Testimonies for the Church 4:223, 224
(1876).
True Love Is Spiritual—Love, lifted out of the realm of passion
and impulse, becomes spiritualized and is revealed in words and acts. A
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Christian must have a sanctified tenderness and love, in which there is
no impatience or fretfulness; the rude, harsh manners must be softened
by the grace of Christ.—
Testimonies for the Church 5:335
(1885).
Love Lives on Action—Love cannot live without action, and ev-
ery act increases, strengthens, and extends it. Love will gain the victory
when argument and authority are powerless. Love works not for profit
nor reward; yet God has ordained that great gain shall be the certain
result of every labor of love. It is diffusive in its nature and quiet in
its operation, yet strong and mighty in its purpose to overcome great