Someone once collected some advice from young children about love and romance. Here are some of the bits of “wisdom” that were gleaned.

When asked how people in love typically behave, 8-year-old Wendy responded, “When a person gets kissed for the first time, they fall down and don’t get up for at least an hour.”

In answer to the question, “Why do people in love hold hands?” Gavin, age 8, said, “They want to make sure their rings don’t fall off because they paid good money for them.” Nine-year-old Johnny said, “They are just practicing for when they might have to walk down the aisle someday and do the holy matchimony thing.”

Other opinions on love from children include: “Love is foolish…but I still might try it sometime.” “Love will find you even if you’re trying to hide from it. I’ve been trying to hide from it since I was five, but the girls keep finding me.” “I’m not rushing into love. Fourth grade is hard enough.”

In response to the question, “How do you get someone to fall in love with you?” one little boy said, “Tell them that you own a bunch of candy stores.”

When asked about kissing, one child said, “You learn it right on the spot when the gooshy feelings get the best of you.” Another said, “If it’s your mom, you can kiss her anytime. But if it’s a new person, you better ask for permission.”

We might laugh at some of the children’s thoughts about love, but the sad thing is that many adults don’t know much about love either. Someone once said, “We must dare to love in a world that doesn’t know how to love.

If we want to learn about love, we need to listen to Jesus. One of the best-known stories ever told is the parable of the Good Samaritan, found in Luke 10. Here we find what love is truly all about.

To summarize the story, Jesus said that a traveler was attacked by robbers and left half dead along the side of the road. Two religious men passed by without stopping to help. However, a Samaritan, a religious outsider, stopped to help the man, expending much of his time, effort and money to do so.

Here are some important principles about love that we can learn from this story. First, love is not defined by a feeling that you have in your heart; it is defined by our actions. The Samaritan had no special fondness for the beaten traveler, but he did have a desire to help someone who was in need.

Second, love may cost us something. We might have to get involved in someone’s life in such a way that it costs us time, effort and money.

Third, love sometimes comes from unexpected places. It wasn’t the religious people in the story who showed love; love came from the most unlikely character in the story!

Finally, love is not reserved for those who are closest to us. It may be that our loving actions are needed by someone we don’t even know.

There are many people who will offer their advice about love, but so many of them don’t have a clue what they are talking about. Don’t listen to the voices of confusion. Listen to what Jesus says about love.