Real Love

I've had this post on my heart for a while now. This isn't a post about finding Mr/Mrs right, or how to make your love life better. That's not my intention at all, but if you ever need a cheesy pickup line I'm your guy.

I've really been focusing on loving people for who they are, not who they aren't. So many times in the past I've had a fake love for people, or flattery towards them. In a way I pretended to love them even though they drove me crazy. I think that fake love can be just as bad as real hate.

What really opened my eyes was Romans 12: 9-10, "Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other." I had so much guilt when I read this passage. I realized how fake of a love I can have toward people.

I don't know how to do it yet, but somehow I want to truly love every person on this planet. I want to be that friend that's always there in a time of need, and I encourage you to do the same thing. I want to take delight in honoring others.

I want to love people because God's called us to love people. Heck, 1 John 4:8 states, "But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love." GOD IS LOVE. God showed his love for us by sending his one and only son to die for us so we could have eternal life. He sent his son as a sacrifice. The greatest form of love was shown on a cross. That's real love.

I think real love is giving your own life up for another person. That's exactly what Jesus did. 1 John 3:16 states, "We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters." I want to stop living so much for myself, and dedicate my life to serving others.

It doesn't matter what you have done or what you're doing, everyone can love. 1 Peter 4:8 states, "Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins." Love overpowers your past failures and short comings!

One of my favorite passages of scripture is 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7, "Love is patent and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance."

I believe that when you love people God sees that, and pours out blessings on your life. I challenge you to go out of your way and love people. Everyone deserves to be loved. EVERYONE.