I saw a woman wearing a T-shirt the other day that said “Love is understanding.” It got me thinking, What is the purpose of love, and how does it act? Divine Love, which is God, reaches much further and deeper than human affection. It is the intelligent and compelling force of God’s creation, which we express with understanding, honesty, and compassion toward one another. Love’s purpose is a power that cannot be resisted or subdued.
Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, describes Love’s true purpose in a letter to a branch Church of Christ, Scientist: “It is the purpose of divine Love to resurrect the understanding, and the kingdom of God, the reign of harmony already within us. Through the word that is spoken unto you, are you made free. Abide in His word, and it shall abide in you; and the healing Christ will again be made manifest in the flesh—understood and glorified” (Miscellaneous Writings 1883–1896, p. 154).
We can express this purpose of divine Love, bringing healing to our lives and others’, when we quiet the flow of selfish thoughts and are mentally still enough to truly understand one another. In Christian Science, we learn that there is one infinite Mind, God, which is universal, impartial, and unlimited. As the source of all understanding, Mind is never unjust, indifferent, or limited. And as God’s reflection, we naturally express this tender, loving Mind in our interactions with one another. A beautiful hymn declares, “We are all God’s children, expressions of one Mind” (Désirée Goyette, Christian Science Hymnal: Hymns 430–603, No. 592).
