Another Aspect of Love

I recently read a quote by C.S. Lewis that said "Love is not affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person's ultimate good as far as it can be obtained."

I know I have posted about love multiple times before, but to me, love is a subject that has no limit of different aspects that can be touched on and talked about, so I choose to yet again write about it. =]

What C.S. Lewis said is true in the purest sense. True love, real love, is not based on feelings or emotions, but the desire for the ultimate good of the other person. Love is a choice to put another's needs or wants before our own; to put their well-being in priority over our own well-being or comfort. 

Man people understand this concept to an extent. They say things like "I would take a bullet for this person" and other similar things. What they say may or may not be true, and it is not that I want to discount that sentiment, because it is a noble one. Jesus himself said "There is no greater love than this; that a man would lay his life down his friend." The point I want to make, however, is though we may feel like we would lay down our lives for someone, would we lay down our personal desires in respect for theirs? Would we be willing to compromise on mundane, daily little things of little importance, if it is ultimately for the good of the other person? So many fights and squabbles are about the silliest and most trivial of things, so are we willing to compromise on such things in order to keep the peace and for the good of the relationship?

Another aspect of this concept, focuses on the ultimate good of the other person. I have personally had to make many hard decisions for the ultimate good of people I love. I have had to cut off friendships and relationships, and tell some very difficult truths. All of these things proved incredibly painful, for both me and others involved, but the pain was only temporary, and the person was always better off in the long run. God has had to challenge me to trust him with the long run, especially when it doesn't seem like it will be a good thing in the end, and without fail, every time it has been for the better when it was something God told me to do.

If we truly love someone and care about them deeply, often God will ask you to give that person up to Him ; to trust Him with their well-being and future, and release any claim you have on them. This can be a painful thing, whether it is a friendship, a relationship, or even simply the hope of a future relationship. The challenge is to trust God that He knows best, and He has a plan "to prosper you, and not to harm you". And in the end, if we truly trust god, and love that person, we will do it. It may not be pleasant, painful even, and it may deny our every personal desire, but if you truly care for someone, you will do what is best for them, regardless of what might be best for you.

Looking back over this blog, I realize that I have repeated myself a lot, but I choose to leave it as it is, because I believe this is such an important concept that is overlooked or discounted in our society today. I hope that maybe this will provoke thoughts from everyone who reads it, and those thoughts will turn into loving actions. =]