 Test
of True Love
It still amazes me in this world that we live in
the definitions and assumptions of people to what love is. Some
would say that it is a feeling that tingles in your tummy, to
others it is an emotion that is actuated by desire for another,
and others still look at love as a desire to fulfill others wants
in order to please them. If only our eyes could be opened to such
deception to see how ridiculous such theories are. Now in the
worldly and narrow sightedness of our minds we can use our
vocabulary to associate love with each of these suggestions but if
one were really concerned about what love is and if it lasts, they
need not search books, inquire of philosophers or even believe the
myths and fables to figure out these answers. So now, please give
me a moment as I describe the most sublime and profound truths
behind the world's most favorite, yet most abused word.
In the Bible, the most distributed book in the world from which
the Word of the eternal God was brought forth, we find in the book
of 1 John 4:8 that God is love. This seems to contradict many
peoples suppositions as to love being feelings, since this
statement would make God nothing more than just a big ball of
feelings. But if anyone has read the Bible they can see that God
is more than just feelings, and instead is a personal being. In
fact, in John 3:16, often quoted by Christians, it says "For God
so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting
life." From this statement alone we see that out of the love that
God had and was full of, he gave up what was most important to
him, for this miserable rebellious people that he created. Again
in John 15:13 it is written "Greater love hath no man than this,
that a man lay down his life for his friend." So the first test of
love that we find is whether or not a person is willing to give up
what is important to them for the one they love. If you haven't
gotten past this part, you have not yet begun to love and
everything so far is just feelings. And feelings pass away even as
it is written "the world passeth away and the lust thereof." Why
else do you think there are so many divorces in the world today,
and especially in America.
But to make this study and test simply, I am going to break down
each category and aspect of love into separate characteristics and
discuss them. The following texts will be found in 1 Corinthians
13:4-8 and I will be substituting charity in the King James
version for love seeing that they are synonomous.
Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth
not itself, is not puffed up,
Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not
easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things,
endureth all things.
Love never faileth
Take a quiz testing your love and see if it stands the test!
1. Does your love suffer long? Are you patient or do you find
yourself getting frustrated with the one you love very easily. Can
you look past each others faults and love that person despite how
they might use you, disappoint you, or anger you?
2. Is your love kind? Are you friendly, delightful, joyful, and
sweet to your mate or do you find yourself speaking harsh or cruel
words that you know hurt that person?
3. Love envieth not. Love does not become jealous of others. Did
someone do better than us or beat us in a competition; then we
should congratulate them. Do we trust them when they are gone and
do we also trust that he/she would not hurt us purposefully?
4. Vaunteth not itself. This can be simply put. Are we rash in our
speaking? Do we jump to conclusions or overexaggerate our mates
faults, for true love will not find itself doing such or will stop
it in its tracks.
5. Is not puffed up. Love does not boast of
itself nor is it prideful in how it acts. There is no reason to
boast to our friends or to our own mate about things we have done
for them. Every good thing that we do, is done simply because we
love that person and it has nothing to do with what type of person
we are. Instead we were just compelled by the love in our hearts
and may sit back and take joy in the thought of making another
happy.
6. Doth not behave itself unseemly. Many of us should think about
this one. What we do should make our loved ones proud and not
ashamed. However, different people have different concepts of what
is appropriate behaviour, but there are definitely impure and
inappropriate acts that are virtually exclusive from fellowship
with pure love.
7. Seeketh not her own. Love is constantly thinking of the good of
others and not how it might make itself happy. It thrives off the
joy of others and grows by giving rather than receiving.
8. Is not easily provoked. Many times in a relationship, things
will be said and you have an opportunity to respond. Especially if
they are offensive statements, you have the choice to be angry and
speak harshly, or to retain your composure and respond or keep
silence in love. However, love will not easily be provoked and for
the sake of love can overlook many of lifes offences.
9. Thinketh no evil. If someone is being hurt by your actions
emotionally, physically, or spiritually, then it is not be
actuated out of love. You cannot devise mischief or revenge
against the person you love because love thinketh no evil.
10. Rejoiceth not in iniquity. This is where many fail in their
understanding about what love is. In Psalms 51:2,9 King David
acquainted iniquity with sin. So what is sin? 1 John 3:4 says "sin
is the transgression of the law." Then what is the law? When God
talked to Moses in Exodus 24:12, he told him that he would give
him a law which he wrote. In Deuteronomy 10:4, it shows that this
law was the ten commandments given in Exodus 20. So iniquity is
the breaking of the 10 commandments. How is it that love will not
rejoice in the breaking of the commandments? Because "love worketh
no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the
law." Romans 13:10
11. Rejoiceth in the truth. This is similar to the last part.
Psalms 119:151 says "Thou art near, O Lord; and all thy
commandments are truth. And again in 1 John 2:4, it says "He that
saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar,
and the truth is not in him. So plainly spoken, one cannot commit
a crime against the ten commandments and think that it is love. In
reality it is only lust and all that is in the world, the lust of
the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not
of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away,
and the lust thereof." 1 John 2:16,17
12. Beareth all things. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so
fulfil the law of Christ. Galations 6:2
13. Believeth all things. When speaking of Moses, Jesus said "But
if you believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?"
First you must believe that love is a choice, and at that, a
choice to keep the law. Then you can fulfill love by following the
words which were spoken from the mouth of God.
14. Hopeth all things. "And hope maketh not ashamed" Romans 5:5,
but instead we look in expectation at how our relationships might
be improved and how we can love others more.
15. Endureth all things. If you have made it thus far, you are
starting to learn how love becomes a decision of the mind and as
long as you remember that, by applying the principles of love to
your life, you no longer act according to feelings or circumstance
but out of choice and commitment.
16. Love never fails. And all things are possible to those who
believe. |
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