A Little Lesson in Love

 


Love is very misunderstood by many people, but especially the young. This can be for anyone, but particularly for them.


Most people know the saying, 'You can't buy love', but there's much more to it than that. You can't borrow or rent it, either. 


Love is intangible and yet obvious and almost palatable when it is present. 


The most important aspect of determining if love is present is if it is freely given. Love can be faked, but it is easy to separate the wheat from the chaff by the litmus test of whether it is unconditional. Love isn't shy. It isn't held back. It doesn't come at a cost. It doesn't have a 'best before' date stamped on it. Love is given with sincerity, with generosity, with enthusiasm, with joy, and even with abandon. If you have to beg for it, it most definitely is not love. If you have to pay a price of any sort for it, it is not love. If it can be turned off without an absolutely major fault on your part, it is not love and never was. 


This might be a little too elementary, but consider a dog. A dog loves with absolute loyalty and abandon. There are no strings attached to a dog's love whatsoever. It doesn't care how much money you have, how many things you give it, how many trips you take it on, where you live, how old you are, or anything else. It just loves you and is never one bit ashamed to show it before anyone. On your worst day it loves you as much as on your best day. It loves you just as much before you give it something as after. Remember that one in particular. Without hesitation it would lay its very life down for your protection. I'm a cat person, but cats can be terrible examples of identifiable love. Dogs aren't. Dogs are the genuine article. So, weigh someone's apparent love for you against a dog: if those lofty elements of total devotion aren't present, it just isn't love, sorry. 


1 Corinthians puts it best: 13:4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails... (NIV)


Read that again and ruminate on it. Understand it. It has deep, lasting meaning. It is one of the most beautiful passages in the Bible to me. Take it to heart.


The Bible is perfect. You can't improve upon the truth and wisdom in it so that passage sums up the subject of love best.


Boiled down, love reveals itself clearly in its absolute, unmistakable purity of function. Genuine love is wonderfully unconditional. 


Don't mistake anything else for love or you will be left wanting and hurting. Learn what it is in its true form and don't be fooled or settle for anything less. 








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