So, how many times can we as humans sit back and count the endless times we have "loved" someone? It really should not be too hard if you think about it. We say we love our family members, our best friends, and maybe even those acquaintances that we casually say "love you" to.
But what is LOVE? Is love the bitter sting of molestation from a family member or stranger? Is love the hostile words of an angry sibling? Maybe to some, love is the rejection of a parent or the unfaithfulness of a spouse. If these above examples above are definitions of 'love', then no wonder why our society is lost and hurt!
I for one, have been caught in this spiral façade of relational abandonment and anger trips all because I was confused on how I was supposed to love and be loved.
Love is a powerful, deep, intimate four letter word that is so casually spilled out of our human mouths without thoughts to the consequences of whom these words are reciprocated.
What is LOVE? How is it defined? Grasped? Understood? Connected with?
Let me share with you the all so familiar definition that I have come across of the word 'love': Love is patient. love is kind, love is long suffering, it keeps no records of wrong, love perseveres, always hopes, love never fails. Now, this definition is paraphrased a bit, but the reference is 1 Corinthians chapter 13.
No wonder why our world is stuck in their blindness of love! It is easy to be manipulated into thinking that our actions and behaviors represent love when the supermarkets and advertisements tell you a stuffed teddy and box of chocolates will cover everything and make us feel better.
Love triumphs over evil. Besides Jesus, I think my favorite love story is the story of Hosea his prostitute wife. No matter the pain, the shame, the humiliation, the rejection, the problems, Hosea stuck by his wife and consistently went back to her because of his unconditional love for her.
We have shows like Jerry Springer and Dr. Phil that promote unfaithful relationships to come on television and verbally assault and physically damage the other person due to their unfaithfulness. Our society thrives on drama and our eyes become glued to the television sets or the gossip magazines that do not promote Christ in relationships because people are searching for true God filled, love filled, and humble relationships.
Love understands that each other has faults, each other has a past record, each other has broken memories and yet still stands beside that person. Love looks beyond ones selfish emotions and circumstances and seeks ways to serve the other. Love understands pain and sends a smile or a listening ear to show that the other person is significant.
Love can be scarred, is beat up, and undergoes constant trials, but has the strength and grace to keep fighting and keep standing.
Love looks at the soul and not at the person. It sees how to nurture and protect instead of damage and corrupt.
If we loved like this in our relationships, and put God first, we would be able to fight through any relational issues and come out stronger in the end. Love is "Yada" or (intimate...a verb...an action in Hebrew). Love demonstrates intimacy while being hurt but applying truth to the situation. Love is God and puts God first. Love does not seek to satisfy oneself but looks at the needs of the other and pursues righteous intimate connection to fulfill that need.
This is a deep concept, a hard lesson, and a strange way for our corrupt minds to live. Once we focus our minds on Christ, and watch his demonstration of Love, we shall be able to know and be known.
Stay connected relationally in love and intimacy.
Much love,
Stevie Rae
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