I just simply cannot get this one word out of head lately. It seems every conversation I have, every situation I encounter, every argument, every everything!!! This one word that won’t leave me alone. I swear, Its like this one word has it in for me or something. However, the more I hear the word ring in my head the more I feel it change something in me. It literally arrests my thoughts, and as mad as I get when I hear it, the more I know its truth and it’s the only way to live.
I can just see you all reading this as fast as possible to get to the part where I tell you what that word is. Well, the word is simple, its LOVE.

Such a beautiful word that makes you think of sugar and spice and all things nice, but I have to say, the more I think about this word, the more mad I become at it.

I can see your heads on tilt right now. What kind of insane human being would become even the slightest bit agitated at the beautiful and graceful word called, LOVE. I mean hasn’t she heard the song “All we need is love” by the Beatles, or how about “Love can build a bridge” by the Judds (that’s a true classic).I do question myself being slightly delusional but I came across this simple verse that has been one of my all time fave’s forever. Many people around the world quote verses from this Chapter in reference to many things.

Its, I Corinthians 13. The verse that talks about love being patient and kind, remember it? I have heard so many of us (myself included) talk about this being their FAVE verse in the Bible.
It all happened one day when I came across the verse and actually began to read it for what it said. I began to read the part where it said, “Love is ever ready to believe the best of everybody.” That part jumped out at me and I am pretty sure hit me with great force on the head or in the heart, either way it hurt.

Let’s think about this for a minute…..

Do I believe the best about someone when I have heard they have been talking about me? Do I believe the best about someone when I have heard things about them that sheds them in a ‘not so great’ light? Do I believe the best about the guy who comes up to me begging for money? Is that what that verse means? Yes, that’s exactly what that means.

Then there’s the part that says, “Love keeps no record of wrong done to it.”

So, does that mean that when I have had an argument with my husband, I have no right to keep a record of it? Does that mean that the hundreds of times we all have been legitimately hurt, we have no right to keep record of it? What if it’s one person who keeps continually hurting me, do I still have no right to hold it against them, forever? Does that mean that we have to love those people anyway? Yes, that’s exactly what that means.

What about the part where it says, “Love is not rude.”

Does that mean that when I am driving and someone cuts me off I can’t give them the ‘death stare’ as I drive past? Does that mean that when I am in a store and the person working the counter is giving less than great customer service, I can’t be rude? Does that mean that when someone is being rude to me that I can’t be rude right back? Yes, that’s exactly what that means.

I could go on, but do you see why this “Love” word is hurting so much? In the last few weeks, I have had so many opportunities to lash out, to hold grudges, but what rings in my head is “You Love!” Immediately, I am taken back to that whole chapter that lays out exactly how I am to conduct my life. I am not going to lie, my thought usually is, “THIS SUCKS!” I want to hold a grudge. I want to show them how hurt they made me. Heck, I want to hurt them back. I want to close my heart off to them forever, but I can’t, LOVE wont let me.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not perfect at this, not even close, but I’m trying. I am trying to look at the heart of people. Look at the worth of people.

I mean, reality is, we are all people who have been hurt and sometimes operate out of our own hurt. The one thing that stands the test of time is, WE ALL NEED LOVE!

The more I take the time to think on Love, the more my eyes are opened to the possibility of what Love can do.

What if instead of telling the cashier how unimpressed I am with her service, I looked at her and asked her how her day has been and then wished her a better day?

What if instead of me waiting for the apology I felt I so greatly deserved from a friend, that I called them first and told them I loved them and was sorry if I caused them hurt?
What if instead of telling the beggar on the street to “get a job”, I reached in my pocket and handed them a dollar?

What if it just took that one moment to change a life?

I write this to challenge whoever reads this, that the next time you are so inclined to be angry, or to judge, or to make the decision to lash out, may you hear the words ring in your head, “YOU LOVE!”

I CORINTHIANS 13, goes on to say that faith, hope, and love abide, but the greatest of these is love. Love is the key. Love is a language everyone speaks and everyone understands. You want to be a world changer? Let’s begin to Love, really love, each other.

I Corinthians 13Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.

5 It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].

6 It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.

7 Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].

8 Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy ([d]the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth].