"What is love?
Baby, don't hurt me"
The lyrics to this song popped into my head right now and as I was singing it loud and proud I realized how confused we really are about love. We title so many things "love", when in reality they are far from. So what is love really? How do we do/live it? I am reminded of 1 Corinthians 13:4-7...
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
After reading that, love does not sound like butterflies and rainbows... it sounds like a lot of work.
It says to me, "It's not all about you, but it's about those around you." All of a sudden the picture of red hearts and roses fades and reality sets in;
LOVE IS NOT AN EMOTION, IT'S A CHOICE!
There are days I wake up and it seems easy to love everyone around me, then there are the days I wake up and honestly all I want to do is bang some people's heads together. It's in those moments though, that love finds it's truth. Will I choose to be kind and patient with that person? Will I put them before myself and not be easily angered? Hard questions! But in the end it comes down to a simple commandment:
"... Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[c] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself..." (Matthew 22:37-39)
I want to honor Him, so I MUST love!
He doesn't leave us out to hang though; we have help in this area! For God is love (1 John 4:8), so who better to teach us and help us in this area? You see, I notice in myself the difference in my relationships with people and my ability to choose to love them when I am trying to do it on my own and when I try to do it with the Lord. Actually, it doesn't happen at all when I try to do it on my own. I mean, yeah, I can be nice... for a few minutes... but it is impossible for me to love. The importance of involving Love himself in the midst my relationships with those around me is beyond important.
So, I go back to that choice... will I choose to love? Even when it's hard? Even when it doesn't feel good? Even when I want to run the other direction? Yes, tonight I choose yes!
Lord, tonight I want to honor you in loving those around me. Father, forgive me for choosing myself and my comfort above You and them. Help me to walk in love... to make it a life style. Help me to realize daily that the choice is mine and give me the strength to choose love always. That my life would bear the fruit of your kingdom on earth! Amen
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