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Has there ever been a time on Valentine’s Day that we do not think about love? Whether love for someone or thing, or the lack of love. Either way, love is being thought about.
I ponder on a situation that was lacking love. Naturally, I felt the commotion was the fault of another. Yet, if I am honest with myself, and if I want to continue to live a spiritual life, with emotional sobriety, I can clearly see that it takes at least two people for there to be a disagreement. So, I ask myself, how could I have handled that situation differently?
Obviously, when I was approached by someone whose attitude was unacceptable, indeed that was difficult for me to see God in the situation. Yet, if I had paused, and restrained my tongue, I could have noticed that someone was hurting. I could have swallowed my pride so that I could understand the other person’s concern opposed to me being understood. Let me be the first to admit “to think logically in a heated discussion is very challenging.” However, Ephesians 4:2-3 NRSV, tells me to be patience and if I had been, then I would not have acted hasty. These verses also ask for me to have humility. That does not mean that I think less of myself, but it does means I think less about myself. So with gentleness I could have made every effort to love that person like God loves me. I could have been a part of the solution to keep peace. What a wonderful concept!
Well, I cannot change the past. However, I can recognize my fault. I can make amends and I can remember love endures all things. In fact, “love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful. Love does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth…. Love never ends.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NRSV)
Today, and every day, we can pay it forward, and love one another the way that God intends for us to love. Amen for insight.