A Word About Love...

It amazes me what passes for “love” these days. It would seem that Hollywood’s definition of “love” is what most adopt as if it were fact. Many people associate sex with “love” and as soon as the sex isn’t what they thought it should be, they no longer “love” the person they were having sex with. It is a shallow view and it totally misses the part about commitment, longevity and meaning. Hollywood is a prime example of the lack of commitment, longevity and meaning but, unfortunately today there are examples all around us.

I’ve even seen people who were supposedly “christians” who completely misinterpreted or deliberately ignored what the Bible said about love. Luckily, they will have to answer for their practices and ignorance, to God not me nor anyone else. Interestingly enough the divorce rate for “christians” is about the same as unbelievers, seems like these “christians” fail to read nor follow the Bible. The divorce rates in Hollywood are high and yet these are the people who are going to be giving us advice on love and marriage?

Let me just say that I’ve been married for over 43 years and have NEVER looked at another women. My wife and I have raised two kids and it took BOTH of us to do it. I couldn’t have done it without her as we each added our own part to the children. My part wasn’t more important and neither was hers, it was 50/50. I take my marriage very seriously as does my wife. We didn’t live together prior to our marriage and  I respect her enough that I would never even think about leaving her for anyone else. Likewise, she has stuck with me through the years when I’m sure it wasn’t fun nor easy. We are committed to one another no matter what.

There are ads on television and other media sources now depicting perversions as “normal”, “desirable” and stating that “love is love”. It is obvious that the creators of these ads have not one clue as to what real love is. They never mention commitment, devotion nor biblical truth so they do not nor do they want to understand such things.

The Bible tells us that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Now I can’t speak for you but, I can’t think of anyone who would die for me. To be honest, I can’t think of anyone that I would want to die for me, even if they could. You see, I don’t consider myself above, superior nor worth someone else giving their life up for me. Christ dying for me is remarkable. The reason that Christ died for me is even more remarkable.

It was also eye opening when I realized that I could not save myself. Nothing I do, think, say nor feel will get me saved. I cannot grant myself eternal life, can’t secure heaven for myself and do not have the power to grant myself salvation. It is only God who can grant me salvation, eternal life or allow me to live in heaven when I die. What’s more, I have sinned, am not “perfect” and clearly have never been. So while I am a flawed sinner who has no value to anyone else, Christ was willing to lay His life down so that I might live in heaven.

Now I know that there are all sorts of liars, cons, scams and smooth talkers out there who will claim all sorts of things in order to line their pockets or swindle anyone out of money, possessions, etc. They will claim that they can give something in exchange for everything. I also know that there are gullible people who will fall for the ruse. As Ron White said, “You cannot fix stupid.” It’s all in the Bible yet, I know that there are people who would rather go to a person of dubious intentions who will tell them what they want to hear rather than read it for themselves. The Bible even tells us that there will be those who attempt to argue with God regarding their fate at the Judgement Seat of Christ. Apparently, they believe that they can smooth talk their way out of their earned and deserved fate. The most chilling words are “depart from Me, I never knew you…”

I love learning new things

I don't always practice what I preach, but that's all of us. I'm sometimes arrogant, boastful, and have little patience with those who try to hurt me. This sometimes keeps me in check with my emotions. I think Biblical love is more of an act of obedience than an emotion.

1 Corinthians 13:4-13
Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,
does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,
does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;
bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.
For we know in part and we prophesy in part;
but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.
When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.
For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.
But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.

I was having a similar discussion just today. I don't think I ever had a relationship that I knew I wasn't going to walk away from - someday. I was married for 14 years. I knew in 2 that I was going to leave.

I love my son. I have loved my animal companions but men, they are my afterthought. I am alone today but if I met someone I would be planning my exit before the second date.

I love people that use few words and listen.

EvilCat Breath wrote:I was having a similar discussion just today.  I don't think I ever had a relationship that I knew I wasn't going to walk away from - someday.  I was married for 14 years.  I knew in 2 that I was going to leave.  

I love my son.  I have loved my animal companions but men, they are my afterthought.   I am alone today but if I met someone I would be planning my exit before the second date.

So, you plan to walk away from your Son someday? You "never" had a relationship that you didn't plan to walk away from? I feel really sorry for you and am glad that you aren't a friend or relative of mine...

with all due respect.....You need to get to know ECB before jumping to that conclusion.   She may not have said that in exactly the way someone who doesn't know her would understand but for those of us who've known her for a long time.... we know the history.    She's got some life stories to tell.

https://www.theblaze.com/news/anaheim-woman-sentenced-to-15-years-in-prison-for-torturing-10-year-old-stepdaughter

now this is ...something.... Stepmothering...stepfathering is not for everyone, not everyone can do it and if i were young and thought i needed a new husband with what i know now of the world...i would wait till my kids grew up before i took that step. and maybe not even then.     That's why i dont' believe in divorce partly.....I believe in torture.  (wink)  but just the general 'nuts and bolts' kinda torture.

HOWEVER...the above link is a perfect example of why not to remarry if you have kids.  Maybe not even to date long term.

2 Timothy 3:1-5
New International Version
3 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

Biological fathers, mothers and close family members more often than not are the ones who abuse their own children so I don't see how this one case is a red flag against ever re-marrying or dating.

Staying in an unhappy marriage is psychologically damaging to children and unfair to all concerned and if circumstances or people change they have every right to divorce and if they find someone else who's a better fit along the way good for them.

we were talking about unmarrieds with children dating again or possibly remarrying. And usually those situations are a gamble. It is nice when they work out but it takes a special man or woman to deal lovingly and fairly with step kids.