Channel of divine love

True love is not feelings, a bundle of crazy emotions or physical infatuation. Baha'i Faith reimagines the concept of love as a source of spiritual growth - conscious knowledge with action. It underscores love that stems from one's relationship with the Divine, ultimate Reality, invisible and transcendent.

Many people believe that love and honesty go hand in hand, and yet also believe that when you love someone, you might have to lie to them to protect their feelings. This kind of reasoning does not support true love. 'Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'u'llah's successor, said, 'If I love you, I need not continually speak of my love - you will know without any words. On the other hand, if I love you not, that also will you know - and you would not believe me, were I to tell you in a thousand words, that I loved you.' If true love depends on honesty, the individual will work harder to be truthful.

Without effort, one can spend an entire lifetime without experiencing or expressing healthy and happy love. The question then may be asked: if 'love' requires so much work, why would someone want it? Baha'i writings explain, 'The love which exists between the hearts of believers is prompted by the ideal of the unity of spirits. This love is attained through the knowledge of God so that men and women see the Divine love reflected in each other's heart. Each sees in the other beauty of God, and finding this point of similarity, they are attracted to one another in love. This love will make us waves of one ocean, stars of one heaven and fruits of one tree. It will bring the realisation of true accord, the foundation of real unity.'