"By this all men will know you are my disciples, if you have love for one another". An easy thing to quote, but not always an easy thing to live. Most of our lives are a rather selfish existence. We concern ourselves with taking care of ourselves first and foremost. I guess it's what we call the survival instinct. It seems to be an innate part of our being. We're driven to eat, drink, protect ourselves with shelter, find ways to bring happiness to our lives, and just generally concern ourselves with what is best for us. Even in those moments where we appear to put others first, there is often a benefit to us, a pay off of some kind, an expectation of reward for our good deeds.
Love is a thought, love is a word spoken, but more than anything love is an action. It's a verb. It requires a thoughtful giving of ourselves in the service of others without expectation of reward or repayment. Without the doing, the speaking and the thought become only meaningless steps in the process.
No doubt we are created to preserve ourselves, to serve ourselves even at a most basic level. And yet we are called to something higher, something more profound, something Heavenly, to rise above our most basic desires. It takes a surrendering of our individuality, a surrendering of our desire to "be someone", a giving up of the notion of being known for our own accomplishments. A bending of our will to the only will that matters-Yahweh himself. That's love and it truly is the only thing that matters.