True Love
So, I'm a part of a men's Bible study and last night, we manly men had a conversation about what love actually is:
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. (1 Corinithians 13:4-8a; TNIV)
After much discussion, a little debate, some cheesy moments and a lot of genuine honesty you don't see much of outside of that setting, we understood that out of the three most important things: hope, love, and faith, only love is truly eternal.
We also did a word exercise. We tried replacing the word "Love" with "I" and were totally convicted; this is something others should be able to say is true of us as men of God, but we all knew of times we'd fallen short of that standard. We recommitted ourselves to this standard of love and sought to back our words with actions the next time we saw someone who needed to be lifted up in service or in heart. And not just the pretty girls or the brothers we're familiar with (though them also)...people who truly have need.