By Jewel Tyler

When I first learned about love it was the love of my parents.  Then  as I matured I thought I was experiencing the love of the opposite sex.  But with each of those experiences I endured heartache and pain in the end. As my life continued I learned of the love for my children; and that is when I began to learn about unconditional love.  Then I really began to question the concept of LOVE.

I came to realize a few things first, if someone says they “fell in love with you” they can just as easily “fall out of love with you.”  I also realized that I loved differently.  No matter what a person did to me or what they may have said to offend or hurt me, I forgave them and continued to love them in spite of how they would treat me.  Now don’t get me wrong I have sense enough to distance myself from someone that I know means me no good.  But I found that I would still pray for them and cared about their well being.

Over the years in conversing with so many people in  regards to the subject of love it generally falls under the category of personal intimate relationships.  I find it very interesting that it is a very rare occasion when someone talks about love they refer to God.  I guess that comes from the fact that people have to see, feel, touch to believe they are experiencing love.

Love is so far beyond the concept of our carnal way of thinking and experiencing love.  When you really digest the fact that God said “he would never leave us nor forsake us” and he knows us better than any other human being could possibly ever know us.  Because we as humans  rarely totally reveal self even to our significant other or our parents or children.  But God knows all when it comes to us.  Our every thought and emotion.  And he loves us in spite of ourselves.  We as humans have no problem with despising or becoming vindictive when someone has hurt us or offended us or even lied to us or let us down.  That is not how God loves us!  He forgives us and continues to prune us from the inside out; to mold and shape us into the spiritual character that can fathom the concept of unconditional love.

The marriage bond between two people is suppose to be likened unto our relationship with God.  That is why the Word of God says that we are the Bride and he is the Bridegroom.  I hate divorce!  And that is a strong term to use I know.  But can we actually divorce our self from God?  Never!  But couples are so quick to give up, walk away, move on to another individual not with one consideration at times of what true damage they have done to someone or an entire family that they once vowed and proclaimed that they would love “until death do them part.”  I had one person say that well the marriage died so therefore it is justified.  I think not.  I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me.  But I cannot control another human being, I learned that the hard way!  Therefore, I am divorced, but it was not my choice, I fought, prayed, pleaded, but the papers arrived anyway.  And I was and am not bitter, I will love him until the day I die!

Mankind expresses the opposite of love in so many facets, racism, homophobia through religiosity and so much more.  However, the truth is we are all human beings no matter the color of our skin or whom we chose to worship or believe in an in my opinion God loves us all.  People murdering one another, disrespecting one another, there is so much pain in the world today.  There is such a tremendous lack of acceptance of the Love of God or even realizing that God is Love. 

People use the term so loosely not totally considering the words that are coming out of their mouth and truly not from their heart.  Because if they really allowed the love of God to fill them, they would indeed emanate the true love of God to everyone around them; and yes unconditionally.  I believe the death toll would decrease tremendously, divorce rates would halt and so much more if individuals really considered and pondered on the real meaning of Love.

So on a personal intimate relationship or even if you meet a stranger try loving them from the inside out not the outside in!

Be blessed and remember God is LOVE!