November 23, 2011: C is for CHARITY (LOVE)
“Faith is my name,” she added, “And I’d love to be your friend – someone you can depend on time and time again.” (from New Best Friend – A Little Book of Faith, by Vera Jones)
What is Love? That’s got to be the million dollar question, and probably the trillion dollar answer! Love as a noun is one seemingly ginormous, simple to feel but difficult to describe emotion, and yet to me it is something best described and demonstrated as an action verb. I guess if I had one shot to define it I’d say, “Love is CHARITY, the selfless caring and giving of oneself to another person, cause or entity.” Yeah, that’s good, I like that. But then if I were to go with being more spiritually succinct I’d simply say, “God is love.” But for a really good laugh I prefer to refer to a website collection1 of a few whimsical comments from elementary aged children offering their ideas of love:
*”Love is like an avalanche where you have to run for your life.” — John, age 9
*”I think you’re supposed to get shot with an arrow or something, but the rest of it isn’t supposed to be so painful.” — Manuel, age 8
*”No one is sure why it happens, but I heard it has something to do with how you smell. That’s why perfume and deodorant are so popular.” — Mae, age 9
*”Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good too.” — Greg, age 8
*”It gives me a headache to think about that stuff. I’m just a kid. I don’t need that kind of trouble.” — Kenny, age 7
*”One of you should know how to write a check. Because, even if you have tons of love, there is still going to be a lot of bills.” — Ava, age 8
*”I’m not rushing into being in love. I’m finding fourth grade hard enough.” — Regina, age 10
*”A man and a woman promise to go through sickness and illness and diseases together.” — Marlon, age 10
*”Love is foolish…but I still might try it sometime.” — Floyd, age 9
*”Love will find you, even if you are trying to hide from it. I been trying to hide from it since I was five, but the girls keep finding me.” — Dave, age 8
(If you aren’t at least smiling at some of these, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but something is wrong with you!) The truth is it’s kind of funny that we all know what love is, at least in some measure, but it is so vast, so deep, so multifaceted and grand that it truly is difficult to universally define. I think we all would agree, however, that life void of love is the worst life one can live. When life gets really tough, we sometimes struggle to find faith that love even exists let alone that it will conquer all. In fact we often blame love for our troubles. It is our distorted view of what love is, as well as our distorted view of who we are that causes this blame game.
I am of the opinion that most people struggle with love because they do not view it as charity or giving, but rather focus on that which is received. Therefore, if one does not receive love the way he or she wants or expects it, then love is just plain no good. To have faith in the power of love is to know you are capable of loving even if you don’t feel very loveable. It is also the recognition that you are loved even if you have not been very loving. Love is just amazing and no matter how tough life gets, no matter how we try to hide from the love of ourselves or others, love is dependably everywhere. You need only a smidgen of faith to believe in it, and you need only to give it to actually get it.
I would be remiss not to share how love is defined Biblically in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8:
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”
This Thanksgiving, I give thanks for love. I wish you the faith to believe in the power of love, real love, true love, God’s love, and I pray you experience it by sharing it in abundance!
Faithfully with LOVE,
Vera
Get your autographed copy of New Best Friend – A Little Book of Faith today at http://www.verasvoiceworks.com/products.html. Be sure to purchase one for a friend, or anyone in need of a little Faith!
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