We understand the true value and meaning of love in our lives by the unconditional love we get from our parents, since our birth. True love is what exists between a mother and child. Even when a newborn is unable to recognize faces, he/she recognizes their mother by her touch and smell. With years passing, growth and changes take place. But what really is happening nowadays???
Love is no longer heartfelt, its superficial and fake. What has happened to the innocent love of brothers and sisters?? Sibling rivalry is more common than love. It is a common talk to have a boyfriend/ girlfriend, even as young as grade fourth student. Do they even know the meaning??Where did the seed of thought come from? How did this happen? Laws of attraction you may say. Familiar terms, well it is the law of nature for attraction between opposite sex. Just think what would happen if a plant blossoms flowers before leaves???Its high time we think. 1 John 3: 18 teaches us, 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. Thus as Christians and children of God we should not drown in the material world and forget what the Lord taught about love.
Youth: Among the youth today, love has acquired all together new meanings. Merely good looks or a sexy body frame?? What is the reason?? The ideas conveyed through the media also support this thinking and cultivates this further in them. Adultery, rape, lust, premarital sex, etc, are thoughts and scenes that pollutes the mind, but are commonly seen around us in movies, serials, videos and newspapers. The Bible very clearly teaches us as to how we can keep ourselves clean, Mark 7: 20-23, 20 He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. 21 For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and defile a person.” So be mindful of your thoughts and heart. What you practice is what grows inside you. 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, 3 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God. We are all made in His image, let us not tarnish and defile His image in out immoral and lustful actions.
We Christians are not better off either. We learn and preach about the unconditional love of our Lord who gave His son for us because he loves us so much. Then how do we forget this great love and hurt our loved ones?? How do people who profess deep love for each other, kill each other over trivial matters?? Scar the face with acid??? How are they ready to kill blood relations??? 1 John 2:9-10, “Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble.” We also read, 1 John 4:8 “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”
James 4: 1-3 , 4 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
The reasons for such vile thoughts and feelings are;the inability the accept/admit defeat, selfishness/self centered which translates into if not mine, then one else will get too, lust and love, since lust only sees the body and thus has no qualms in destroying it. 1 John 2:16, 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.
Sow hose fault is it then? Where did we go wrong? Parents? Teachers? Society? Everyone has a role to play in it.
Let’s now look at marriage nowadays. In today’s time what is the top priority when searching for a life partner? Good looks? Beauty?Bank balance? Marriage is not based on looks and assets to display as trophy husband/wife. Hence, when the beauty or bank balance fades, the relationship starts to crumble. Spouses then turn to others for pleasure and companionship. When the finances dry up due to high standard of living or loss of job, it leads to problems in family life. Is this true love? In 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, our Lord teaches us , 4 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. It is lost on today’s world where money power has more influence than a pure loving heart. It is in harder times that spouses should hold on dearly to each other ans submit themselves before the Lord. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, 9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: 10 If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. 11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone ?12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Unrealistic expectations from each other is another cause. One tends to forget that nobody is perfect and that there are limitations in everyone. Just as life has it highs and lows, married life has good and bad times. Then why do families turn bitter? It is because people look only at self, and are nit willing to make compromises and sacrifices with understanding. 1 John 4:7-8, 7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
Are our children today looking at us as ideal examples?? Are we forgetting to teach them a righteous and good life in the rush to earn big bucks? Are we forgetting t strengthen the foundation of family life and love?? Just as we run when we spot a serpent, are we preparing our children to avoid bad company and temptations?? Along with good food and clothes, are we forgetting to teach the importance of a steadfast heart and good character?
The essence of true love was showed by the Lord on the cross. But we very easily forget it and it gets pushed into dark corners, and desires feed on our greed, killing the pure emotion of love. 1 John 4:9-11, 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
Jehovah Roi 