"Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. Love doesn't strut, doesn't have a swelled head, doesn't force itself on others, isn't always "me first," doesn't fly off the handle, doesn't keep score of the sins of others, doesn't revel when others grovel, takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, puts up with anything, trusts God always, always looks for the best, never looks back, but keeps going to the end. Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled."
This scripture fascinates me. I don't think I'd really ever seen this kind of love until recently. Isn't that being said from a selfish perspective too? How about have I ever given this kind of love? Why is everything about what we receive? Honestly, its the first thing I thought of. I want to be loved like that. What I'm discovering is maybe to be loved like that, I need to love others like that. I have loved because I have gotten something in return. I'm receiving love. I'm receiving praise. I'm receiving admiration. I'm receiving what my expectations are. But, what happens when those expectations aren't being met? What happens when I'm met with disappointment? Do I still love? Especially when it comes to those closest to me? Do I love them well? Do I love them unselfishly? Do I keep track of the wrongs and offenses? Do I long to control their life and when I don't feel like their doing what I want, do I support them by loving them anyway? People often say, "you can't be their Holy Spirit" convicting others and guiding them. The difference is the Holy Spirit still loves. He does not give up. He does not keep record of our misguided choices. He doesn't meet us next time with an "I told you so". He just loves us. After 41 years of walking this earth, I'm just realizing that I have not loved this way. I can make all the excuses in the world about how I wasn't taught to love this way, I wasn't shown this type of love. The truth is, this is how Jesus loved. It's in His Word. If we seek after Him and are willing to be taught, we can love like this. His way is all about selfless love, always was, always will be. Maybe we need to quit complaining about all the wrongs done to us in this lifetime, all the people that have not loved us well, all the trials. Maybe we need to get on the offensive instead of the defensive and love without restraint. Love without expectation, love openly and honestly. No agendas, no what's in it for me, no fear. You see, at the end of the day there are no guarantees. But, at least you have tasted the sweet offering of a love this pure and beautiful. "Because when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled."
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