Love is a Promise

Lately, God has been speaking to me about Love. 

I feel like our society cheapens the word. We use the word love in place of other words that don't have as much meaning. We say "Oh I love that TV show!" or "I love that song" when we could say "I really like that TV show!" or "I really enjoy that song!" and then we try to say we "love" people and that we "Love" God. But do we really feel as strongly about that TV show and that song as we do about God and people?

And what happens if we tell someone we love them? What are we really saying when we utter the words "I love you" ?

Most of us have heard of 1 Corinthians 13, you know, the Love Chapter. There's a reason they call it that. It has a lot to say about love!

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 

God brought me to this verse, and then told me that when saying "I love you", we are promising to follow these verses. You've probably heard "Love isn't an emotion", or, "Love is a verb" many times. It's kind-of cliche. But it is so true! 

Telling someone you love them is really saying: "I will be patient with you. I will be kind to you. I won't get jealous, I won't brag, I won't be proud. I won't dishonor you. I will be selfless. I won't be easily angered at you. I won't remember your wrongdoings. I will always protect you, and trust you. I will always hope for you and persevere."

Saying "I love you" is promising all of these things. 

And truly loving someone is doing your very best to keep all of the promises you made when you spoke those three words.