Love

Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful. 1 Corinthians 13:7

MY CHILD, if I talk to you for hours about what I think is important but never really listen to what matters to you, I’m just making noise. If I have the answer to every one of your questions and great faith to pray you through your struggles, but never admit my own questions and struggles, I’m not loving you well. If I lead our family in doing good deeds, but speak ill of others behind closed doors, I will have gained nothing —including your respect.

I want my love to be patient when I have to wait for you to get to the car or get going in life. I want my love to be kind when the rest of the world has been cruel. I don’t want to be jealous when you agree with someone else’s ideas or enjoy someone else’s cooking or company more than mine. I don’t want to boast about your achievements to make myself look good. I never want to treat you or your friends rudely. I don’t want to demand my own way but to do things your way sometimes. I don’t want to take out my frustrations on you or make you suffer under my moods. I refuse to keep a record of your wrongs to throw back in your face. I will never be happy when things are hard for you, but I will always be happy when you do what is right even though it may be hard.

Because I love you, I’m never going to give up on you. I’m never going to stop expecting the best of you. I’m never going to lose hope that God is working in your life. If there’s one thing you can be sure of until the day I die, it’s that my love will always be there for you to fall back on when the worst happens.

I don’t always see things clearly or completely, and that includes things about you. But the day is coming when we will know each other perfectly. Nothing will come between us, or between us and God, and it will be better than we ever expected.

So as I look to the future I know what’s important. Our faith in Christ is important. It’s what links us to him. Our hope in Christ is important. It’s what assures us of a future with him. But it is our love for each other and for Christ that is of supreme importance. Because that love is going to last forever.