What’s love got to do with it?

How important is love to relational success? Almost everything, I believe. I bet you were expecting me to respond with “Everything”, but that would be neither true nor realistic. I’ve seen some pretty loving people who were horrible listeners. I’ve seen some very selfish people who loved themselves but weren’t quite committed to loving others. The Bible tells us to “Love your neighbor as yourself...” (Mark 12:31, NIV). friend, do you love yourself? Do you show love to others? Tina Turner belted out that famous tune in 1984 entitled “What’s Love Got To Do With It”. The chorus screams of someone deceived by her heart and her lover:  “What’s love got to do with it, got to do with it, What’s love got to do with it, got to do with it, What’s love, but a second hand emotion.” The 1993 biographical film entitled “What’s Love Got To Do With It” described the abuse Tina Turner experienced at the hands of her husband. Tragic, but so common. Tina was not talking about true love, the love described in 1 Corinthians 13. Real love is kind, gentle and caring. Maybe the only love she knew was lust, passion, violence or codependency.   friend, have you ever seen or experienced true love? Have you ever given it? This classic verse keeps us centered on the real meaning of love: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16, NKJV) My sister, Elaine, reminds me most of this type of love. She gives. She’s given to others her whole life. The most notable act of giving was when she moved back to Canada to care for my mom, who was very elderly. She gave and gave and gave, and now my mom is 99 years old.  Love is NOT a second hand emotion. It’s action, it’s giving and it’s sacrificial.  You can love the same way. God will lead you because you’re a miracle.