What is our perception of love? The world has so distorted what love is........ Sometimes I find it hard to watch movies, or shows, or read cards even, without being confronted with the reality of what love isn't. It's sad how people dress things up as love and in reality it is the opposite. I was in Belfast during Valentine's day. One day, like a week before valentines, I went into a shop and noticed some cards. One of them really caught my eye. I can't remember exactly what it said- but it was something like this: Love is... passion, lust, - well, can't remember the other 2 or 3 things, but it was basically a list of feelings, and selfish ones at that. I remember walking out of the store disgusted. I think it's a major problem that so many people have no concept of what love really is anymore. Do we define love ourselves? Or does God define love for us? In Romans chapter 12 it says:
9Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.Do not be conceited.
17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”says the Lord. 20On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
If only we lived lives like this to others, if only I were consistent with loving others, so often I find myself only being selfish. So I will end with this:
1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
It's all within our motives of doing things, and God helps change our motives. I want to do nothing except out of love for God, and through that-love for others. I want to be so compelled by God and who he is that when I do something for someone- I think of him-and- that that person thinks of him. That it won't be about what talents I have or lack, what I have achieved, or even who I am. That it will be about truly loving others, the way God loves us. I leave you with this to think on - when you feel inadaquate, when you feel you have nothing to offer, when everyone else is more talented than you or more intellectual, or anything... There is something we are all capable of offering with God, and it is the most effective and lasting of all: LOVE.
13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
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