What comes to mind when we think of love? Love-at-first-sight romance? Googly-eyes? An emotional high that makes the brain go out the window? Or perhaps we think of weakness. Being a doormat. Letting others walk all over us. Giving in instead of confronting. Accepting all and standing for nothing. Do we think love just isn’t enough when things get tough? Do we throw it aside, discarding it as too wimpy for this particular situation we’re facing? Do we doubt the effectiveness of love because we don’t see immediate results?
I do. To really love is difficult. It takes time, energy, perseverance, and a long-range vision. Love takes courage. And, perhaps most difficult of all, love takes self-sacrifice. If my greatest concern is protecting myself, I won’t love. If my greatest concern is maintaining my own comfort, I won’t love. If my greatest concern is standing up for my rights, I won’t love.
Love is seen as being too simplistic, as having your head in the clouds, as not being realistic. Yet I’ve heard too many stories where love wins to simply dismiss it as impractical. What is more beautiful than a story where forgiveness changed an enemy into a friend, or where words of caring changed an attacker’s mind, or where self-sacrifice caused a change of heart in another?
I’m slowly beginning to understand that love is the strongest force in the universe. Sometimes it’s difficult to believe that, but deep down I know it’s true. I don’t want to give up on love, not yet.
The strongest case for love is Jesus, God on earth. He didn’t set about to conquer his enemies. He didn’t use violence to stop evil. He didn’t feel the need to trample on perpetrators of evil. He didn’t use force to bring about good. He didn’t protect himself or the truth by shunning others. No. He invited sinners to be his disciples. He served his enemies, even washing their feet. He sat down to eat and talk with those everyone else rejected. He hung out with the “wrong folks”, causing the religious people to accuse him of abandoning his faith. And ultimately, he didn’t fight against evil, but laid down his life to bring good out of evil. He may have looked feeble to many when he didn’t take on the role of a tough guy, for love may appear to be inadequate. But look at the changes that happened because of his life and his greatest act of self-sacrifice.
Don’t give up on love.
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