“Your greatest power is to show love, to receive love, and to be love.” Oprah Winfrey
Everything has rules and instructions, even love. When starting a new job, you’re issued a handbook outlining the company’s rules and regulations. When making a major purchase-a car, a refrigerator, a washer, and a dryer, it is accompanied by an owner’s manual filled with instructions. These rules and instructions are provided to ensure that we know how to operate the item and for maximum longevity, how best to care for it. And love is NO different. It, too, comes with rules and care instructions. But do we read the instructions? Yesterday I attended a beautiful outdoor beach wedding. The bride looked absolutely stunning as she walked down the aisle toward her tearfully excited groom. The minister who performed the ceremony eloquently laid out for this young couple, and for those of us listening, the RULES OF LOVE. As I watched this young couple exchange their personal vows and recite the traditional ones too, I began to think about the RULES OF LOVE. Do you believe there are RULES OF LOVE? Do you know what they are? Do you practice the RULES OF LOVE in your relationSHIPS? So for this week’s blog, let’s talk SHIP about the RULES OF LOVE!!!
Love can be truly life-changing. It has the ability to heal and change the world. Love can be encouraging and serve as one’s motivation. Love can right wrongs. Love can make a difference in the lives of others. It is something that is pure and decent, innocent and true. There is NO greater power than love. Love comes in many forms and is the foundation for ALL of our relationSHIPS. The love we feel for our family, a child, a friend, and even the love we feel for our pets, may differ in how we express it but are all forms of love. Although love may first appear in the form of a feeling, it is much more than that. Love is limitless and because we all have an endless supply, it never runs out. Yet, in order to reap the full benefits of love, it requires that we take action. For love to grow in our relationSHIPS, we must follow the RULES OF LOVE. But what are they? What are the RULES OF LOVE?
The 13th chapter of Corinthians is considered the Love Chapter. Beginning in the 4th verse, GOD clearly defines the RULES OF LOVE. It reads: 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails. Do you apply these RULES OF LOVE in your relationSHIPS?
As this new couple embarks on their new life together, I have the faith that if they read the RULES OF LOVE and apply them to every trial and tribulation that they encounter, their marriage will have longevity. I hope that they understand that GOD is love and that they see HIS reflection in themselves. In these days and trying times, we can all benefit from having and expressing more love. The world needs more love and so do we. This notion can be achieved if we become more loving ourselves. If we apply the RULES OF LOVE in all of our relationSHIPS, they will become more loving. If we allow the GOD in us to shine in all of our interactions, all of our interactions will be more loving. Life demands that we exercise faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love. So if we want more loving and productive relationSHIPS, all we have to do is simply follow the RULES OF LOVE!!!
SHIP TALK: Do you believe there are RULES OF LOVE? Do you practice the RULES OF LOVE in your relationSHIPS?
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