Is there a wrong side to love?

1 John 4:18 "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear is torment. He that fear is not made perfect in love."

Love has been so tainted over the years. In my generation and further down people are literally giving up on it. In high school I can remember tee shirts with "love sucks" or "love is for suckas." There are popular sayings that, "it is better to have love than lost than not to have loved at all or love will get you killed!" When I was a teenager I asked myself was any of this true? The way I grew up told me otherwise, but not knowing Christ for myself I began to buy into the worldly view of what love is and what it can do. There are so many people hurt and scarred because their love was not returned that they begin to shut down internally which shows externally. No one can get in which means no feelings can get out. Is this biblical? The answer is, no.

So the scripture states that there is no fear in love. When hurt by someone you truly cared about most people tend to lock up their feelings. They feel like that will keep them from getting hurt again not knowing they are only massaging the hurt instead of letting it go. Love is tied with the word giving. As Christians when we give, it is freely. Of course, it is appreciated and good manners to reciprocate the love that is shown towards you, but if a person does not that does not mean you give up on loving people as a whole. Our lives are to exemplify Jesus not just on Sundays or when we are treated nicely, but through the tough times as well! That is why real love does away with fear because the ability to love is powerful and rare. Love is consistent and unfailing! Love can be shown in the midst of hate and overpower it. Love can save a life, LITERALLY. Did it not save ours? Love is unable to operate in fear because Love comes from God. If our love is coming from God there should be no reason to fear love because we know its beauty and essence. We are not suppose to love with strings attached. That type of love is conditional, will fade away, and worldly. Now it states that fear causes torment. This is where my generation comes in to play. Love will not get you killed, but you may willingly die for someone. Jesus willingly died for us no man took His Life. We have to know the difference to live the difference! Okay someone did not appreciate your love. Does that mean you give up completely on loving people? Of course not because as much as we want others to love us back whether it be family, friends, people at work, significant other it does not always happen. Pray for that person and move on with your life. Meaning, do not dwell on the fact they have not receive it but love them irregardless. Jesus does it every day with us humans! Love does not get tired because you are not doing it for recognition. That is what we are called to do as people of God. We can't run from love but towards it every day looking to go deeper because its depth is endless and infinite! Also, we must be careful about how deeply we may love someone because there are levels to it. Someone that God did not design for you should not get the same amount of love as a future spouse. That I believe is where people go wrong including myself. But that's another post on the levels of love.

So he that fears is not made perfect in love. Ouch! Now that is a toe crusher. Especially since Jesus said they will know that you are Mines by your love. Love is not safe meaning it takes risks. We have to leave our comfort zone and our easy chair to really love people. It is work that is applied daily to love people in general. If we believe in Love and that we are saved by Love then we should be able to distribute that love towards others. How? Because The Distributor lives within. Our love is not dictated by how others receive it, but how we react when people do not. Jesus does not give up on anyone. People just simply reject Him. He does not change because He is talked about or denied because that Is Who He Is, LOVE! So it is better to have loved than to not loved because it shows that you are capable of loving which is very rare these days. There is no wrong side of love because love is ALL good. Yes there will be people who will treat you badly and there are also people that will appreciate you. Our love should come from God. God will perfect His Love in us daily if we allow Him. So declare today that you will operate in the fearless Love. The love that does not change because of how you are treated, but is consistent with The Word of God. That love that will not fade, but will grow each day. The love that can change lives starting with yours! #FF14