Love Is Indispensable

REGARDLESS of age, culture, language, or race, all humans have a hunger for love. If that hunger is not satisfied, they are not happy. A medical researcher wrote: “Love and intimacy are at a root of what makes us sick and what makes us well, what causes sadness and what brings happiness, what makes us suffer and what leads to healing. If a new drug had the same impact, virtually every doctor in the country would be recommending it for their patients. It would be malpractice not to prescribe it.”

Yet, modern society, especially its media and popular role models, often places more emphasis on wealth, power, fame, and sex than on the human need for warm, loving relationships. Many educators stress secular goals and careers, defining success primarily in those terms. True, education and the cultivation of one’s talents are important, but should they be pursued so single-mindedly that one has no time for family and friends? An educated ancient writer who was an astute observer of human nature likened a gifted but loveless individual to “a sounding piece of brass or a clashing cymbal.” (1 Corinthians 13:1) Such people may become wealthy, even famous, but never truly happy.

Jesus Christ, who had a profound understanding of and a special fondness for humans, put love for God and neighbor at the very heart of his teaching. He said: “You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind. . . . You must love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39) Only those who followed these words would truly be Jesus’ followers. Hence, he said: “By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves.”​—John 13:35.

How, though, does one cultivate love in today’s world? And how can parents teach love to their children? The following article will address these questions.

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It is a challenge to cultivate love in a world governed by greed