what is love? baby, don't hurt me - don't hurt me - no more

since love is in the air, i thought i'd follow up my last post with something i've been thinking on today. i've really been thinking about what it means to love somebody. not like them, not really enjoy spending time with them, but to really deep down in your gut-want to see them happy-need to have them in your life-do anything you can to be with them love them.

i've been pondering this quote all day:

do you want me to tell you something really subversive? love is everything it's cracked up to be; that's why people are so cynical about it. it's worth fighting for, being brave for, risking everything for. and the trouble is, if you don't risk anything, you risk even more.

(erica jong)

love. "it's worth fighting for, being brave for, risking everything for." it's impossible to think about love without thinking about the creator and author and source of love: jesus. he makes everything about love absolutely true. or maybe everything we hear about love is absolutely true because of him. anyway. because of his love for me he fought for me - he was brave for me - he risked everything for me. it's not just a myth or a pretty, little saying or even a good idea. that's what love is. it's doing whatever it takes - giving more than you think you can give - taking less than you think you deserve - fighting like heck to protect this gift you've been given - risking everything, even your life. if my life should look like christ's, then shouldn't i love in that same way - romantically and otherwise? shouldn't i fight for it? shouldn't i give until i have nothing left to give? shouldn't i put the other person's needs above my own? shouldn't i protect the relationships i've been given? the answer is obvious: yes, i should. why?

because:

love never gives up.

love cares more for others than for self.

love doesn't want what it doesn't have.

love doesn't strut,

doesn't have a swelled head,

doesn't force itself on others,

isn't always "me first,"

doesn't fly off the handle,

doesn't keep score of the sins of others,

doesn't revel when others grovel,

takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,

puts up with anything,

trusts God always,

always looks for the best,

never looks back,

but keeps going to the end.

(1 corinthians 13:4-8, the message)

1 corinthians 13 had become overused and meaningless to me until i read this translation. moves my heart. jesus, help me to love - to fight for it, be brave for it, risk everything for it, and protect it.