Love and Faithfulness

I am not going to lie; I am a hopeless romantic. I enjoy a good chic flick from time to time. But moreover, a great love song does like a good medicine. There is something in them that Hollywood often misses in the flicks: unconditional love; that is to say, real love. As an English major I have a decisive taste for words and their meanings. However, my obsession with words began earlier. I do not wish to go on a tangent; sufficient to say that I always want to understand a word in its entirety and proper context so that I might use it rightly. In that, I have discovered that most people have a distorted and unrealistic, even contrary to fact view of love. I don’t know if it began with Hollywood or where, but it seems that love has been demoted to a fleeting desire, a whim, a mere feeling to be ignored or indulged while it lasts. Marriages fall apart because they “just don’t love each other any more”. There are two songs that describe my understanding of love more than any other: ‘When A Man Loves A Woman’ by Percy Sledge, and ‘When You Really Love Someone’ by Alicia Keys. I will attach links for your listening pleasure.

Something that both songs touch on is selflessness. True love should put the object of that love before oneself. Percy sings how a man would give up all his possessions and forgive all wrongs for love. He also talks about how she gives him what he needs. Love should be focused on the others needs and not one’s own. Yes, we all have needs and desires that must be fulfilled; but that is exactly why communication and fulfilling the needs of the others is so important. Love is a two way street; you gotta give and get. There has to be a flow. Does that make sense? Love is not selfish, but gives without ceasing. Love always forgives and holds no records of wrongs.

Alicia Keys hits the point right on the head. When love is REAL it’s unconditional. She sings how when you love someone you give them your all, no matter what. When they are weak, when they are strong, right or wrong, you love them. You CHOOSE to give them your all. That’s what love is. It is a choice. It is a promise. It is a binding and lasting covenant. There is something so powerful and unexplainable in that phrase. Those three little words can crush a tyrant and save a soul. It gives its best even when you are at your worst. When you say the words, “I love you,” you are saying, ‘I am going to put your before myself, forgive you when you wrong me, no matter how hard it is. I am going to always give you my best. I promise to stay faithful and true to you. I will do everything within the limitations God has placed on me to be the man/woman you need. Then I will rely on God to do the rest. I promise not to exalt you or put you on a pedestal as perfect. We are one and will work through things together. I will not quit on you.’

Love is kind of a loaded word don’t you think? Too heavy to be thrown about like a cheap and fleeting fancy. It is too precious to be traded and given to every person like free samples at a strip mall. Yes, we are called to love everyone as God would love them, forgiving them and being courteous to them. But do not use that word so cheaply. If you are to use it, understand what you are saying. Love is not sex, or affection. Love is not the ‘warm-fuzzies’. Love binds all things together and does not seek instant gratification. True love waits and never ends.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0u_OnVhh82E

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