Redefining Love

What is love?


This is not a question I will claim to have the complete answer to. Indeed, I only have a partial answer.


Love is being vulnerable.
Love is worth fighting for.
To love, you need to lay down your rights.


This is something that has been occupying my thoughts for quite awhile now, which led me on a search in 1 Corinthians 13 to discover deeper truth behind the chapter we quote all day. I was not disappointed, as what the Lord revealed to me not only confirmed the thought of vulnerability, but strengthened this idea. I studied the chapter verse by verse, and looked up every reference that I came across.


One in particular stood out and imprinted on my heart.


2 Corinthians 5:19
That is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.


The entire passage surrounding this verse only emphasizes it more (please, do take the time to look it up, it's quite beautiful). We are reconcilers, and as such, cannot partition ourselves away from the world. I want to draw attention to three of the verses in 1 Corinthians 13:


5: ....It does not insist on its own will, it is not irritable (Greek: and does not count up wrongdoing) or resentful;


*It keeps no record of wrong. Could He have spelt it out any clearer? We do not keep record of what people do against us. We forgive and we move on in love.


7: Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.


*Love is always an optimist. Do not assume the worst of people.


11: When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.


*Do you remember when you were a kid and you got in trouble? What was your first defense? "But he started it! I didn't do it!"
Yeah, we all did it a time or two. The problem is, when we get older, we do it in a different way. If someone hurts us, we refuse to be the first to talk. We always want the other to apologize to us first. Instead of running and hiding in our rooms, we hide in our jobs, churches, houses, life in general, waiting for the other person to make it right.


That is childish.


Sorry to put it bluntly. But I've done it too, I'm not innocent of acting like a child when it comes to disagreements, hurts or wrongdoings. The point is to not point the finger. Does it really matter who is right and who is wrong? Does it really matter who apologizes first? We should be rushing to be the first to apologize and set the relationship to right again! That's love! Love does not crave distance! Hurt does. But hurt must heal. Through prayer and love. Explain that to people, don't just disappear! I know...I've done this many times. Remember in my last blog how I said I would share what I learned this past year? This is part of it.


Losing a relationship over being right is not worth it. I have a limited time on this earth, and arguments WASTE TIME. I love my friends and family and people! I miss the ones who are gone and who I cannot share moments with anymore. Arguments ARE NOT WORTH IT! Being right is not worth it. Waiting for an apology that may never come- its not worth it, my dear friends. You cannot control how other people act. Love does not manipulate.


Love is responsible and cares deeply.
It fights for those it loves.
It endures everything that happens, because love is willing to be sacrificial (example? Jesus).


Love is vulnerable, because, to be honest, you're going to get hurt.


I know I said it. I'm being real.


We live in an imperfect world with imperfect people.


Chances are, you are going to get hurt at some point in time by someone you love. And by someone who loves you. Does it mean you stop loving them? Or that they stopped loving you?
Heck nah.


It means you apologize, forgive, heal and move on. Pray for understanding and grace and love. Apologize- even if you did nothing wrong. Because love is worth it.


Be vulnerable.


At the end of your life, do you really want to look back and realize you lived your life in bubble wrap? Because if you live that way, you'll turn to stone. I have been there. I've become rock hard, no tears, no emotions, blocked from human interaction. I thought I was "strong". But I wasn't. I was hurt, afraid, alone, but I sure was not going to let anyone know. The energy it took to stay that strong cost me a lot. It hurt more than words can say.


Being vulnerable hurts- but not like that.


Not like feeling every atom in you turn to stone. Your heart becomes so heavy, you become incapable of seeing outside yourself. You shut down. Close down. Emotionally, you are dead. Many times, it can lead to worse.


We are called to be Jesus with skin on in this world. How on earth can we do that if we lock ourselves away inside? If we lock our hearts up so tight, nobody can see or feel the love? That is not what Jesus did.


He came to this earth, knowing full well that the very people He loved, would call for his death. They would condemn Him as a lunatic and heretic. Yet still He came. He came, knowing His family would not believe. He came, knowing He would be hated. He reached out to the lowest, highest, evilest and holiest. Nothing changed His love or how He loved. That is our example. And we rarely see it shown in the world we live in today.


What if that changed?


What if we changed?


Peace & Blessings Ashley


~*~ Leave a Legacy that will Make a Difference in the World Around You. ~*~