LOVE

LOVE! LOVE! LOVE!

Everybody is looking for LOVE these days!

What is LOVE?

This is an age old question, and it still remains.

For the Bible thumpers.... 1 Corinthians 13 is the LOVE book of the Bible. I will relay the meaning of LOVE from that book for those who are unfamiliar. "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. it is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in with truth. It always protects, always trust, always hope, always perseveres."

I like what bell hooks lays out as her definition of love in her trilogy on black LOVE. In sum, she says that caring for people-feeding them, clothing them or meeting other needs is not a real indication of LOVE. Shocking huh! I tend to agree with her assessment since there are many parents who abuse or kill children they have housed and clothed etc... Also, there are several husbands who care for families whom they turn around and murder. She says, instead, that real LOVE is LOVE that does what is spiritually right for the other person involved.

Think about. Real love is love that does what is spiritually right for the other person.

My take on LOVE after much of my own life experience, observations and courses of study has certainly evolved.

Today the world is full of evil people who would do harm to those who are isolated, those who are vulnerable and those who are looking for relationship and LOVE.

I have learned not to be deceived by the media's, all forms, ideas/images of LOVE and have surmised that LOVE coming from another human is broken at best. Yes! that is what I said. Any LOVE that you will get from another human will be broken, and that will be the best that they can give you. They will hurt you accidently! They will lie to you! They will surely disappoint you! The LOVE will be broken because every human is broken and born into sin-saved or not-there is still the existence of brokeness. You will never get perfect love from another human being.

Martian Luther, the church reformer, discussed two types of love in his theology on grace. He referred to one type of LOVE as common. This common Love is a love given to all. It allows humans to love and care for their families. This common love that Luther refers to is that broken love that I am discussing. The common LOVE that you will get from another human being, no matter how great it may be, will be broken at best!


The only perfect LOVE comes from the only perfect person-JESUS!

Knowing this allows me to keep the expectations I have for people whom I am in relationship with in perspective to their humanity and my humanity!

Think about it!

Selah.