True love.
What is true love? Disney and Hallmark have made it out to be this beautiful moment when you lock eyes across and crowded room and instantly fall in love. Or the first second of your first kiss….it’s magic and you know he’s the one.
As Christians how should we think about true love? Are Disney and Hallmark right? I have no doubt there are very godly people who have these very stories. But what about others or when that magic fades? I'm not really going to answer those questions, but I want to share with you a story and share some Scripture with you.
I know a woman who is, in my opinion, the very definition of true love.
Her story began about 42 years ago. Her brother raced motorcycles and while the family claimed Christianity, just about every Sunday would find them at the racetrack. This Sunday was no different. Except that her brother met a young man and they became friends. This young man met this young lady and they fell in love.
About a year and a half after they married they had a baby. Two more babies came along. The oldest was five by now and the woman felt it important to attend church.
Not too far up the road was a small church that she tried out. This family became involved in the church - attending regularly and making friends. Through the ministry of this church both the parents were saved. On the same night! In two different places! When they were both home for the evening they learned of their exciting stories.
Fast forward to when their oldest was 11 and baby #6 was 4 months old, the husband had a major seizure in their backyard. He was kept alive by a friend who over visiting by doing CPR until the paramedics arrived. A brain tumor was discovered. Radiation and chemo followed, then surgery. Because of the surgery, this man developed surgical epilepsy. He was put on very strong medication and lots of it.
Over time this medication changed this man - physically, mentally, and emotionally. Romance was non existent now. The woman became his caretaker. She was basically a single parent raising six kids.
Even though things got really hard and her needs as a woman weren’t being met, she remained faithful to her husband. She chose to continue to love this man.
THAT is true love. When physical appearance is changed, when the mind goes, when romance is very little or ceases all together, CHOOSE to stay together.
My husband is always saying “emotions can be deceiving”. Truth. We don’t always feel like loving someone, or feel like we’re in love with our spouse, or . . . you fill in the blank. But GOD calls us to love one another.
Choose to do the right thing. (James 4:17)
I want to be like her when I grow up.
Here are just a *few* verses on love:
I Corinthians 16:14
Let all that you do be done in love.
I Peter 4:8
Above all, keep loving one another earnestly,
since love covers a multitude of sins.
Colossians 3:14
And above all these put on love, which binds everything
together in perfect harmony.
Ephesians 4:2
With all humility and gentleness, with patience,
bearing with one another in love.
Romans 12:9
Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil;
hold fast to what is good.
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