“Love means never having to say you’re sorry…” is one of the biggest lies I’ve ever heard.

The understanding is never intentionally hurting someone and apologizing as a quick remedy.  Actions > Words

The truth is we are a broken people.  We are sinful and selfish and are not perfect at all. We will hurt each other because that is what we do.  We live to satisfy ourselves which is why we need Jesus.  He calls us to die to self.  We are a new creation that is righteous and holy and able to love selflessly like Him.

Love is hard. Love fights for what it stands for. It is not an emotion that comes and goes. Love is not fleeting. It is a choice. It is staying in troublesome times when it is easiest to leave. It is keeping a commitment and sticking to it after the feeling of when you said it fades.

Love doesn’t run. It doesn’t fade. It can’t.

Love is a commitment.  It is a promise.

Wedding ceremonies always quote 1 Corinthians 13.

I’ve always seen it as a cliche until I learned what love is.  He is describing love.  It isn’t just something poetic that sounds nice on paper.  It isn’t words written in a card.  It isn’t something added to a ceremony to create an emotional experience.

No.  It is vows.  It is stating what you promise to do and it isn’t just for married couples.  Paul is stating what LOVE is.  This is how we are to love others and ourselves.

We do not know what this life brings.  Marriage vows say you will be by each other’s side in sickness and in health.  For better or for worse.  In good times and in bad.

This life is filled with various trials and you are promising to never leave.  If marriage is a picture of God’s love for the church then it is your duty to carry it out.  God does not leave.

“LOVE IS PATIENT AND KIND.

LOVE IS NOT JEALOUS.  IT IS NOT 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.”

– 1 CORINTHIANS 13:4-7 (NEW LIVING TRANSLATION)

God is patient and kind with us and so we should be with our neighbors or whoever we come across.  Love is sticking around.  I am thankful God does not love like me, but continues to teach me how He loves me because in return I have learned to love others.  It is long-suffering.  God doesn’t just quit on us.

As a new creation you put away the old man as Paul describes in Ephesians:

“WHEREFORE PUTTING AWAY LYING, SPEAK EVERY MAN TRUTH WITH HIS NEIGHBOUR: FOR WE ARE MEMBERS ONE OF ANOTHER. BE YE ANGRY, AND SIN NOT: LET NOT THE SUN GO DOWN UPON YOUR WRATH:  NEITHER GIVE PLACE TO THE DEVIL. LET HIM THAT STOLE STEAL NO MORE: BUT RATHER LET HIM LABOUR, WORKING WITH HIS HANDS THE THING WHICH IS GOOD, THAT HE MAY HAVE TO GIVE TO HIM THAT NEEDETH. LET NO CORRUPT COMMUNICATION PROCEED OUT OF YOUR MOUTH, BUT THAT WHICH IS GOOD TO THE USE OF EDIFYING, THAT IT MAY MINISTER GRACE UNTO THE HEARERS. AND GRIEVE NOT THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD, WHEREBY YE ARE SEALED UNTO THE DAY OF REDEMPTION. LET ALL BITTERNESS, AND WRATH, AND ANGER, AND CLAMOUR, AND EVIL SPEAKING, BE PUT AWAY FROM YOU, WITH ALL MALICE: AND BE YE KIND ONE TO ANOTHER, TENDERHEARTED, FORGIVING ONE ANOTHER, EVEN AS GOD FOR CHRIST’S SAKE HATH FORGIVEN YOU.”
– EPHESIANS 4:25-32

Jesus is love and He doesn’t run or leave us. I, and every other sinner, have given him every single reason to leave me on my own. Every single time He fights harder to keep me and I continue to grow.  My faith gets stronger.

You see, before I was saved I was the master at pushing people away.  Don’t let anyone too close because they will leave.  Keep them at a distance so you do not get your heart broken.  Stay where it’s safe.

Then I met Jesus: The King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  He chose me as His bride.  I learned what love was/is.  I learned what it means to stay and to fight for someone because I was shown what it looks like to be fought for.  At my lowest and most unworthy moment is when Jesus stepped in, looked at me and said, “You are enough.  I want you.  Follow Me.  Stay with Me, my Beloved.  Stay with Me.”  The Creator of the universe chose me and fought for me.

There is nothing greater than that…….I’ve looked.

It’s the greatest mystery to how someone could love me so much.  Being loved like that  is the reason we should say we are sorry.  Love is repentance.  Love is humbling yourself.  It’s going to the one you say you love and begging for forgiveness because you wronged them. It’s turning away from whatever behavior it is that hurt that person. It’s not just SAYING sorry, but praying to be changed because you don’t want to hurt them again. It’s falling down seven times and standing back up eight… or helping whoever hurt you seven times by forgiving them 7×70.

Love means saying you’re sorry.  Love means standing up and owning up to your mistakes you’ve made. Love is sacrificial. Love means always trying to grow into the image of Christ. We were made in His image and should glow with His love.

True love is written on our faces and in our hearts.  It is a fire that cannot be put out.

It does not back down.

Thank God.