The world uses the word "love" carelessly. The Hebrew words ahavta and chesed connote giving, commitment, unfailing love, devoted to acts of kindness, mercy, and longsuffering. These connotations are also captured by the Greek word agape, which prompts us to avoid retaliation, and instead practice concrete acts of kindness, not only putting up with one another, but attempting to add joy and comfort into each other's lives. When David took all the guff from King Saul, and then later showed his mercy to Saul's extended family, he demonstrated the true essence of godly love. Agape, chesed, and ahvata are in that respect interchangeable. God is love; how we practice love determines how we know God.