Bishop's Blog
Sometimes we need to be reminded of what real love is all about. Many people rush into relationships because they are burning with passion and with physical lust and they confuse that lust for genuine love. You’ve heard people say that they “fell in love.” The problem with falling in to love is that you may trip and fall out of love. Love is not a feeling or an emotion. The emotion associated with love is called compassion. Compassion is being moved to care for someone or something that you love, but love itself is a choice. The Bible defines love in several places, but 1st Corinthians 13:4-8 AMPLIFIED is one of the most popular:
4Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. 5It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. 6It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. 7Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. 8Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy ([d]the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth].
When you say that you love someone, those attributes should come forth. Those attributes are the fruit of love. They are proof that you are walking in love. When you say you love someone, you are saying that you decide to be patient, you decide to be kind and sometimes that means doing things that the other person may feel are “too tough.”
Let’s be clear, love is not a doormat. It’s not foolish. It’s not ignorant and it’s not blind. In a relationship, if you find that someone chooses not to love you but rather abuse you, use wisdom. Don’t allow yourself to be dogged out in the name of “love.” That’s foolishness.
