What is Real Love Anyway?

All God really asks of us is that we love Him with all our heart and love each other as ourselves.    Sounds so simple, yet why is that so hard to do?  Humans beings have been fighting each other ever since the beginning of time.  History reveals one war after another and it continues today.  You can’t turn on the news without hearing about  murders, terrorist attacks, wars or slanderous assaults on one another.

Social media wars have become rampant with people posting comments expressing their opinions in sometimes the nastiest of tones.  In the midst of it all, we hear a lot of talk about love and tolerance, yet it seems like the people who scream tolerance the loudest have the least amount of it to offer others.

Do we even know how to love each other any more?  As Christians what should we tolerate and where do we draw the line in order to stand true to our own beliefs and convictions yet continue to show the love of Christ to those whose beliefs are different?

What does real love look like?

While no one would argue that hurting someone physically or emotionally is unloving, telling someone the actions they are taking are good and right, when you know deep down those activities will actually eventually destroy them, is one of the most unloving things we can do.

Who is a friend and who is really showing love? The one who goes along with us no matter what choices we make or the one who challenges us to think differently, considering that there might be a better path to a more abundant life?  A true friend speaks truth in love even though that truth may be painful in the moment.

I don’t mean condemnation.  Those who condemn have no interest in helping others and seldom do.  I’m talking about people who care for one another speaking truth into the life of another person because they care for them as a family member, friend or fellow human being.

I personally am thankful for the teachings and convictions that have helped me get back on the right track in my life when I’ve strayed down the wrong road.   They may not have been pleasant words to hear at the time, but I would not be enjoying the abundant life I now live without some warnings, conviction and course directions from God, His Word,  and  people who genuinely care.

I want to know the truth.  Is this activity going to bring abundance to my life or destruction?  It is always a question worth asking.

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.  John 10:10 NKJ