Love does not control, manipulate, extort, demand, threaten, seek to harm, retaliate, nor is it vengeful (1 Corinthians 13). God is love, and to the degree we do any of these things, we are just that much unlike God. Love is self-sacrificial, seeks the best interest of the loved, persuades, and welcomes sinners. God is love, and to the degree we do these things, we are like God.
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” 1 John 4:7-13 (NASB)
