Love.
The first thought that pops in mind is romantic love. Fairy tales, soul mates, chocolate hearts and first kisses. This is not real love.
Next, maybe kindness? Giving gifts? Service? Some times these are the effects of love, but it is not love.
"All we need is LOVE".... somewhat true. At least it's a nice fuzzy feel good thing to say. True love, however, is not fuzzy.
True love is not always hearts and kisses and skipping in a meadow. True love is ugly at times, incredibly strong, and literally impossible. The quest of possessing complete and perfect love is a noble ambition, but you will fail. Shoot for it anyway. And whenever you begin to stray, remember you have storerooms of love to take and give- not from your own heart, but from God himself. This is the only true love.
If you take on this ambition and if you keep your mind on Christ, you will begin to see what true love asks. It asks of you hugs of joy and tears of unthinkable pain. It asks complete blindness to faults. It demands you to be vulnerable. It asks you to be treated unfairly- and to take it. It asks you to give favor to the ones that deserve it the least. To eat food that isn't pleasant to your tongue. To smell a ghastly stench and keep a smile on your face. To be made a fool of and be kind anyway.
It is not romantic, and sometimes down right miserable.
You cannot give what you don't have, so receive the love God gave. Every last bit. Then fight anything that might try to take it away.
And in the end, you will love having love. The pain will be memories of joy. And you will be victorious.
Love your family. We need each other.
Love your fellow Christians. We are family in the spirit.
Love your friends. Not only when they are friendly or when they benefit you, just love all the time.
Love strangers. Your kindness might change someone.
Love enemies. This is the hardest, but the effects are the greatest. And hate will destroy you.
Finally, don't try to love. It won't work.
God is love, and God is in you, so the love you need you already possess in you. And if you already possess true love:
You are patient. You are kind.
You don't envy and do not brag. You are not proud.
You are polite, and are not selfish.
You have self control, and can give grace to pardon the wrong things done against you.
You are saddened with sin and joyful with truth.
You can persevere through anything without anticipating failure.
You encourage even when it hurts, and don't stop until the end.
Sometimes love is pictured with hearts and kittens. I don't think you can't draw love. It's too mixed up. But one thing I know is it's not for the weak. Weak people will exhibit the opposite of love and call it strength.
You have love, and you are a warrior. If you want anything meaningful from the life, you must accept this blessing.
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