Love is…?
As Jesus
continues teaching His ‘sermon on the plain,’ He turns our thoughts to the
subject of love.
There has probably
been more written on the subject of love than any other topic. There have
certainly been more songs written about love than any other subject.
What is it
about love that so captures the human experience? We love love, we love to be
loved, and we love to be in love.
For many
people love is the answer, inevitably, to every human problem and need. If love
could only be applied, all problems would be solved, they might say.
How is it
then humans know so little about love, even though so much has been written
about it, sung about it, and thought about it for so many thousands of years?
Why is it with a knowledge ‘love is the answer’ humans act as if they have no
answer at all for the needs that exist?
And we
continue to ask the question, what is love, really?
And, since love
is arguably the very thing humans need most, why is it that so little actual
love is practiced? (Much is done in the name of love that neither love nor
loving.)
We have to
admit most of what we have called or felt as ‘love’ has actually been an
emotional experience, either from us or for us. That definition of love makes
us ‘feel’ good, so we seek it from others and desire to give it to others when
we can, simply because it makes us feel so good - and because it makes us feel
so bad to not be ‘loved’ or to be able to give ‘love.’ But all of this kind of
love is based upon a bargain we work out pertaining to the worthiness of the
other person to receive the ‘love’ we would give only if we could.
This
definition of love is about as silly and frivolous as all the silly love songs
written down through the centuries. It makes no logical sense to make love a
bargain. Jesus says if love is a bargain, it isn’t love at all.
-Pastor Bill
No comments:
Post a Comment