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| (Photo Credit belongs to Photographer: Rachel Barnitz) |
We have cheapened
the estate of love. We have turned it
into a thing to obtain, rather than a state to be. We have exchanged its true meaning of
purpose, value, and life, for that of one night stands, unintentional flirting,
and hearts being led along on a string.
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| (Photo Credit belongs to Photographer: Rachel Barnitz) |
But you see, I
think that this is where we as a society have gotten this concept of love entirely
wrong. We have started basing it upon
superficial and temporary aspects of this “so-called love” that in reality
would be closer to the definition of indifference, hatred and sorrow. And why?
Because the culture we live in has abandoned the Christ-like definition of
love, for more of a worldly and “acceptable” one. It has traded in the priceless and treasured features
of true love, for the knock-off,
cheap, and deplorable connotations of a merely
fake personification of infatuation.
For the opposite of
love, is not simply hate. Indeed, the
opposite of love isn’t just animosity, dislike, enmity, disloyalty, or
unhappiness. Yes, it is all of these
things, but it is also the lack of something
so much greater than it all. And more specifically,
someone so much greater than it all.
As the Easy Read
Version of the Bible states in 1 John 4:8, “Anyone who does not love does not
know God, because God [Himself] is love” (1 John 4:8, ERV). Therefore, when we degrade the standard of
love by which we ourselves uphold it (rather this be in how we allow others to
treat us, how we treat ourselves, dating, marriage, boundaries, etc.), the less
we will actually understand and feel the accurate portrayal of love that has
been given to us.
Because this my friends,
is where God’s love and the world’s love stand head to head in different
perspectives. It is where God’s love tells you that you are
enough, and the world’s love tells
you that you need to change. It is where
God’s love reaches through the
darkest and stormiest of nights to rescue you, and the world’s love is the one who placed you out in the solitude of obscurity
to begin with. It is God’s love that died on the cross for
you and your sins, just so that you in all of your perfect flaws and
imperfections could be free, but the world’s
love that tells you that you don’t need Him, or anyone at all. And at its brevity, it is God’s love that sees you in your
weakness and “lacklusterness” as love, but the world’s that deceives you into believing anything less than you
actually deserve.
More specifically,
it is cruel to live in a world where people are treated as things to be used, instead
of beings to be loved. A domain in which
girls are so lonely and guys are so desperate that they reduce the values,
customs, and priorities of themselves just to be recycled as transitory affection and adoration. The place where flirting over text replaces
personal interaction, and dates turn into hookups, “Netflix and chill”
sessions, and hit-lists of most slept with people. And isn’t
this a problem?
That we trade in
the true definition of love (being God and all that He encompasses) for the world’s
definition. That we allow others (guys
and girls alike) to walk all over us getting and taking what they want, when
they want it, because “hey, after all, it feels good to be liked or loved once in a great while”. That we have traded in this sacred and holy
representation of pure, wholesome, and beautiful love, for that of one
supposedly filled in the bedroom. But newsflash, this type of love won’t last
no matter how hard you try. It won’t
fill that deep craving in your heart to be loved. And sadly, it will only leave you feeling emptier
inside than you once did.
1 John 2:15 in the
Easy Read Version of the Bible states, “Don’t love this evil world or the
things in it. If you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in
you” (1 John 2:15, ERV). So aren’t these
things that we have been talking about considered a “love of the world”? Aren’t they the very pinpoints that make up
the lies that we tell ourselves?
For the true love
that God gives to us freely, and that with which we are given to place upon
others is NOT what the world tells us
it is. Love is not made up of insincere flirting, flaunty Instagram posts, one
night stands, or guys who say “they love you” but don’t really mean it. Love is not
made up of the cheapened estates that we have proclaimed it to be through
jealousy, anger, and rage. So if all of
these things that the world has told you about love are false, then what truly
is love?
Love is God.
Love is love. Love is compassion,
and joy, and sharing your last bite of brownie with a best friend just because you
know she had a bad day. It is smiles,
and sunshine’s, and sharing God’s love with those who are least likely to
accept it (because isn’t that what we are each called to do). Love is healthy relationships, friendships, and
marriages based upon true foundations and values. It is life, including all of the ups and
downs. But above all, love is NOT the cheapened estate that
the world proclaims it to be. It is not to be upheld by the twisted and
shattered windows its mocking voice broadcasts to the nations.
Because the true Estate of
love is just that: Love (= God). And when we put that equation in comparison
to everything else, we will truly learn to understand this: that until we have
fully grasped that concept and abandoned all of these false idols of love
behind, the earthly love that tries to sustain us will only leave us feeling hungrier
inside.
Find the true estate of love; He (God) is
out there waiting for you.
Agape, Amber
