Love says, “Before you recount all the flaws of others,
make sure you look in the mirror first and count all yours.”
Love is not blind, it
sees more not less;
But because it sees
more it chooses to see less.
—Author Unknown
Above all, love each
other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8 NIV
Real love sees all
the flaws
of the one loved in all aspects of their true nature but chooses not to
emphasize or bring attention to those flaws but promotes and acknowledges all
that is positive. Real love is not vindictive, condescending, or critical but
is protective, encouraging, and uplifting. Love should always be honest with
compassion, respectful and helpful, and instructive in positive ways. Love
doesn’t promote self at the expense of another, nor does it ever reveal
personal intimacies for public consumption. Love is ever forgiving and, most
importantly, forgetful of the wrongs received and the negatives displayed, and
love refuses to continually bring to mind or voice those same issues. Real love
never uses itself as leverage to gain something for self. Love is always understanding
and never condemning. Love has enormous power to influence when used
appropriately and has the unique ability to bring about the positive change
that nothing else could do.
So I ask you, does this love
describe your love? If you want to be loved like that, then you must first love
like that. Rejoice in your ability to love and do not be sorrowful in what you
receive. Love as if you’ve never been hurt, and love as if your next breath
depended upon it.
Excerpt from my book, Restore My Spirit, O God, p 70–71.
You can read more about God’s love for us and our love for
God and others in my books, Restore My Spirit, O God, pages 49–75 and Renew
My Heart, O God, pages 53–84. For more on building strong relationships,
see my Outline for Life—Soul, point 7, pages 8–10, downloadable on the
Resources page of my website, JeffHoracek.com/resources.
www.JeffHoracek.com
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