Love Is...

A very close friend of mine has been struggling a lot lately. I can see the hurt in her eyes and my heart aches because I feel her pain. I can never feel exactly what she’s felt or know what she’s been through; but I hurt with her because I love her and I hate seeing the people I love hurting. She’s confused. She told me tonight that she doesn’t know what real love even is anymore. I can understand that; I don’t think any of us really do. Love is so warped and overused in the world today, so much so it’s lost its power and meaning. Whenever I need a refresher on the real meaning of love I go to 1 Corinthians 13. Let’s break it down and look at it one step at a time. Love is PATIENT. I guess that’s like staying up until midnight talking on the phone… well more like just listening in silence and crying even though you just got in a fight like 2 hours before that. Maybe it’s more like sitting outside a batting cage watching your friend hit softballs even though it’s been a really long day and you really just want to go home and sleep. This is beyond just being willing to wait; this is about having the right attitude while you do it. Love is KIND. That’s the hug every time you see each other or buying them Dippin’ Dots after a bad day or even just that text that says I care about you. This is the little stuff you do just to show them how much they mean to you. Love does not ENVY. This is the one I struggle with. This means being OK with the fact that sometimes it’s really important that your friend is hanging with someone else. This is sacrificing what you want for what they need and being content with it. Love does not BOAST it is not PROUD. This is realizing that they deserve better than you. This is about not needing constant words of affirmation and edification. This is being confident in your imperfections and realizing that there are more important things than your comfort. Love is not RUDE. This is the simple form of love. This is your friend treating you with respect and kindness. Love is not SELF-SEEKING. This is unselfish sacrifice. This to me is the all encompassing factor of love because really all the others parts of love fall under this. This is driving 30 minutes just to hang out or see them in their prom dress or losing sleep just because they need to talk. This is giving up your needs for them. Love is not EASILY ANGERED. This means no matter how many times they yell at you or throw pens at you they still see the calm, ever reassuring look of love in your eyes and feel safe in your embrace. Love keeps no RECORD of WRONGS. This is not rubbing all their mistakes in their face. This is forgiving and forgetting; understanding their imperfections and sticking with them anyway. Most importantly it’s refusing to give up and them when they feel like they’ve failed. Love ALWAYS PROTECTS. This in not just taking a bullet this is taking the blame, taking the load, and taking the shame. Love always TRUSTS. This is knowing that people are going to mess up- including your friend- but choosing to allow yourself to put your faith in them anyway. This is jumping first and fearing later. This is knowing that no matter what happens your friend will be there to put the broken pieces of your heart back together again. Love always HOPES. This is seeing your friend at their lowest point and being there to help them keep their head above the water, even if that means yours stays under. This is praying with them and believing that they’re going to make it. Love always PERSERVERES. This is not giving up on them or turning your back on them even when it gets hard. Love is not something that you should fear except in the essence of respecting its power. It is moving and powerful and has the power to change your life. I can honestly say… I love you girl.







1 Corinthians 14:1 (the message)
Go after a life of love as if your life depended on it—because it does