Feelings can fool you. I spoke recently with a teenage girl who was puzzled by the lack of feelings she had for a guy. Before they started dating, she was wild about him. The minute he showed interest in her, however, she lost interest.
I'm thinking also of a young mom. Being a parent isn't as romantic as she anticipated. Diapers and midnight feedings aren't any fun, and she's feeling guilty because they aren't. Am I low on love? she wonders.
How do you answer such questions? Ever wish you had a way to assess the quality of your affection? A DNA test for love? Paul offers us one: "Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth" (1 Cor 13:6). In this verse lies a test for love.
Want to separate the fake from the factual, the counterfeit from the real thing? Want to know if what you feel is genuine love? Ask yourself this: Do I encourage this person to do what is right? For true love "takes no pleasure in other people's sins but delights in the truth" (1 Cor 13:6 Jerusalem Bible).
For instance, one lady calls another and says, "We're friends, right?"
"Yeah, we're friends."
"If my husband asks, you tell him we were together at the movies last night."
"But we weren't."
"I know, but I was, well, I was with another guy, and - hey, you'll do this for me, won't you? We're friends, right" Tighter than sisters, right:?"
Does this person pass the test? No way. Love doesn't ask someone to do what is wrong. How do we know? "Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth."
If you find yourself prompting evil in others, heed the alarm. This is not love. And if others prompt evil in you be alert.
Here's an example. A classic one. A young couple is on a date. His affection goes beyond her comfort zone. She resists. But he tries to persuade her with the oldest line in the book: "But I love you. I just want to be near you. If you loved me...."
That siren you hear? It's the phony-love-detector. This guy doesn't love her. He may love having sex with her. He may love her body. He may love boasting to his buddies about his conquest. But he doesn't love her. True love will never ask the "beloved" to do what he or she thinks is wrong.
Love doesn't tear down the convictions of others. Quite the contrary.
"Love builds up". (1 Cor 8:1)
"Whoever loves a brother or sister lives in the light and will not cause anyone to stumble". (1 John 2:10)
"When you sin against other believers by encouraging them to do something they believe is wrong, you are sinning against Christ". (1 Cor 8:12)
Do you want to know if your love for someone is true? If your friendship is genuine? Ask yourself: do I influence this person to do what is right?
If you answered yes, ask her out for dinner.
By: Max Lucado
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