Love is a 5 Letter Word

The more I see of the world the more I wonder if society at large has a clue of what real love is.  Oh, the romance movies would have us think it’s all sparks and chemistry like something that fizzes out of a child’s toy volcano when the right elements are mixed together. Most of the time this makes for a nice story, one that usually has a happy ending of boy getting girl.  But we rarely see what happens after the “getting,” when the pressures of everyday life kicks in, and the “fizz” goes flat.

So if that’s not real love, what is?  Well, there’s a great definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13:4 which says that love is patient, kind, never envious or boastful or conceited. It says that love does not insist on its own way, or its rights.  It’s not touchy or resentful, takes no account of wrong done it.  It’s not self-seeking, but bears up under anything that comes along.  It never fails and it’s not conditional.  Wow!  That’s awesome and inspiring, but depressing, too.  Because who can live it?

Only One comes to mind; the perfect embodiment of true love; the kind movies seldom talk about.  It’s love without sizzle.  It’s hard and gut wrenching, and poignant, and difficult.  It’s the kind of love that made the King of the Universe, the Creator of all, humble Himself and come in the form of man and allow His entrance to be made in a smelly animal shelter.  It’s the kind of love that, without resentment, bore up under the persecution and lies of His countrymen.  A kind of love that didn’t fail when He was tortured and nailed to a tree.  Instead of calling down bolts of lightening on those who mocked Him, He called out, “Father forgive them.” 

Oh, how our God loves us! He spelled it out clearly: J-E-S-U-S.  Let us remember Him in this wonderful season.

Happy Birthday Jesus.  And Merry Christmas everyone.

Until next week,

Sylvia