Got Love?

By: Angela Gillaspie © February 2004, All Rights Reserved

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." 1 Cor 13:13

Recently I discovered that God's will for me wasn't to find a cure for cancer or be the instigator of world peace, but simply to be Christ-like. Anyone, Christian or not, would tell you that God's basic message is love. Why else would He have done all that cool stuff for Abraham, Moses, David and Noah? Also, when I think of God's love, His ultimate expression of love was when He sent us Jesus.

God is love and His message is love, so what exactly is love? It may surprise some of you to find out that love is more than chocolate and moonlit dances on the beach.

First off, love is patient and kind. Riding the bumper of the minivan mom in front of you to make her go faster isn't patient or kind and neither refusing to listen to your son's tale of how gigantic booger blasters invaded Batman's cave. Yielding in afternoon traffic and helping Junior make his own evil play dough booger blasters are ways to be patient and kind.

Love isn't jealous and doesn't delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. You don't show love by snubbing your neighbor (and his brand spankin' new fully-loaded Dodge) or by telling everyone that will listen about so-and-so's high bills and how he can't afford a new bucket, much less a new car. Envy is hard to swallow, but try to see the Dodge as something your neighbor's family needed.

Love never fails and it keeps no record of wrongs. Bringing up the time 47 years ago that your husband lied about smoking and reminding him of it every time you smell smoke isn't showing love - it's annoying and mean. In addition, feeling guilty or being angry for failure isn't showing love especially if the person who failed tried her best. Guilt and failure don't come from God, but virtue and accomplishment do.

Love isn't proud, rude, self-seeking, and easily angered. Thumping your chest about your achievements and getting ticked off when no one cares isn't showing love and neither is bragging about your new Dodge to your neighbors. God can humble us when we least expect it. Just ask Bill Clinton, Jimmy Swaggart and Jim Bakker.

Lastly, love always protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres. As a child, I viewed love as a fishing trip with my dad or frosting a cake along with my mom. I also saw love in the tears and worry when I got home past my curfew. I saw love in the biscuits and gravy that waited on me every Sunday morning. My parents protected me when I didn't want it, trusted me when I didn't deserve it, had hope for me when I thought I didn't need it, and to this day their love for me perseveres.

Love is much deeper than we realize, and yes, we can show love with chocolate, but the best way to show love is by being Christ-like.

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