Cheap Love or Real Love?

 

There’s a saying… “Talk is cheap.”  I’m pretty sure I used to hear my dad say that.

Lately I’ve been thinking about love and I think we could say, “Love is cheap.”

There’s the controversial movie… the broken relationships… the 400,000 children needing a home in the U.S. alone… the issue of human trafficking… and on I could go.

If you were new to our world, you would think that love was cheap and love had no apparent value.

 

Cheap Love or Real Love?

 

Times were probably like that back when the Apostle Paul penned these words to the people in Philippi.

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.  Philippians 1:9-11 NIV

I’ve been convinced for some time that it’s our Christ-like love that sets Christ followers apart from everyone else.

There’s just this one thing.

I don’t know that most of us who profess to follow Christ appear to be different from those who don’t.

[silence]

Why is that?

Our love is cheap.

It must be.

Look at the evidence: There’s the controversial movie… the broken relationships… the 400,000 children needing a home in the U.S. alone… the issue of human trafficking...

 

Cheap Love or Real Love?

 

Before you click away… I’m not pointing fingers.  The ugly reality is that every one of us is guilty on some level… yes… me too.

It hurts.  It’s disappointing.  It’s humbling.  That’s just for starters.

So what can we do to make love valuable?

First… we need to value the One Who is Love.  God.

Second… we need to receive God’s ultimate Gift of Love to us… Jesus.

Third… we need to mirror his love for us.

“Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other.” John 13:34 MSG

Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that. Ephesians 5:1-2 MSG

Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Romans 12:10 NLT

I’ve been thinking about the love we have for one another… in marriage, between parent and child, sibling to sibling, and from friend to friend.

It’s the way we love in these relationships that shows how we value God’s love.

If we can get this right…  then we will truly be different.

A good different.

It’s a different that bonds marriages together and prevents so many children from becoming fatherless and motherless.  It’s a different that takes away the desire for casual sexual relationships and replaces it with a covenant commitment.  It’s a different that goes to all lengths to rescue women and children from those enslaving them.  It’s a different that finds friends treating friends like brothers and sisters.

It’s love.

Real love.

 

Chalkboard Printable, "Mostly what God does is love you." from Ephesians 5

 Download this image as a free 5×7 art print.

 

What if.

What if we exercised this love that God desires for us more than anything?

What if?

Our world would be a different place, wouldn’t it?

 

Let’s do this.

Let’s love our spouses, our children, our parents, our siblings, in the same way Christ loved us.

Then… in just this one area… we will be different.  Even more… the world would be different if we made that commitment.

I dare you!

 

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.  Philippians 1:9-11 NIV

Love.  The more we love like Christ, the more love we’ll have, and because of that increase in love we’ll be wiser, righteous, and without fault.  It is in loving like Christ that we bring glory to God.

The world really really needs you to love.  Love for real.

Are you in?

 

JoyDay! - Real Love

 

It’s JoyDay!

 

It’s because of this amazing love that our hearts overflow with gratitude.

Please join me in counting ‘seven’ good and not-so-good things from this past week and give thanks.

I’ll start!

Thank you God for…

  1. sunshine on the day I needed to do a photo shoot.
  2. your amazing love for us.
  3. an interview and an immediate no.
  4. answering my prayer for a phone which will become a reality later this week.
  5. hearing birdsong to herald spring, in spite of the sub-zero temps and snow.
  6. my husband who listens to my ramblings.
  7. Esther and her story of faith and courage.

Now it’s YOUR turn!

Count your ‘seven’ in the “Share Your Extraordinary Thoughts” section below and watch your Joy Meter soar!  I love how joy slips in when we have grateful hearts!

 

Thank you for stopping by today.
I appreciate you and your sweet comments make my day.

May your week overflow with God’s love and JOY!
Diane

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Comments

  1. Shirlene says

    I’m in! Loving other’s because He first loved me. I have been able to do this since I got saved. I didn’t know how to love other’s, I had issues, until God opened my eye’s and heart. Life has been forever changed since that day back in 1993 (I thought I was saved at 12 yrs but had no idea what I was until the day God spoke to me).
    1. salvation (the greatest love in action)
    2. a warm home
    3. a husband that is working
    4. food (enough to share so much of the time)
    5. a Pastor that teaches straight from the Bible
    6. a Sunday school teacher that is so patient with me
    7. Christian friends that I have met on the internet but not in person (blessed by all you share Diane)

    • Diane says

      What a great day that was when your eyes and heart were opened!! Praise God!!
      Thanks for sharing your ‘seven’ Shirlene! I rejoice with you at God’s hand of love working in your life. 🙂 And for your friendship through FB. You bless me too! [hugs]

  2. Debbi Saunders says

    I am grateful to God for:
    1. His peace during the meeting with the Attny!
    2.for the wonderful relationship with my son!

    3. The teachings of Dr.Charles Stanley
    4. For a wonderful new relationship developing with my Uncle and Cousin!
    5. For the close relationship between The Lord and I as a result of this challenging trial that I have been experiencing in the last few years.
    6. That I have full time year round job!
    7 . Christian Friends both in my life and online,that I hope to meet one day! That is you Diane <3

    • Diane says

      And I look forward to spending time with YOU in person, too Debbi!!
      Rejoicing with you at the wonderful things God is doing and people he is bringing into your life. May your week overflow with JOY!

  3. Rose says

    Good Morning
    I have 7 reasons to be thankful. They are
    Mary Ann ~ Cathy ~ Joanne ~ Lori ~ Jeanne ~ Theresa ~ Regina ~
    These are my wonderful sisters – yes I have 7 sisters and I love them all so much.
    We are all so close, and we often say “Why are we all so close” ~ I know the reason is because of our parents.
    They had such a love for God, and taught us the same. I know it’s because of all the prayers and sacrificing they did for all of us ~ and this is why we appreciate each other so much today.
    Have a wonderful day everyone.
    Much love,
    Rose

    • Diane says

      Oh Rose! What a blessing and legacy your parents have given you and your sisters!! As an only… I think that is so precious.
      May your week be blessed in extraordinary measure!

  4. Mel says

    Bit late to share my seven, but I did want to count myself amongst those who’ve taken their eye off what’s well and truly important in this (MY) world–loving.
    I thank you for grounding me.

    Blessings to you and yours.

    • Diane says

      Oh Mel… it’s always a daily challenge. Don’t I know!
      You’ve probably guessed… I don’t usually write about my strengths. 😉
      Glad to see you, friend. 🙂

  5. Jon says

    For a 30 year old guy like me who is girlfriendless (for my whole life) what is cheap love? Its going to massage parlours and getting a rub down for 60 mins for $60. Only $1 a minute. The masseus gets the money and I get 60 mins of tender loving care. I don’t blame God for not giving me a life partner; I only blame my inability to earn true love from the opposite sex. Sorry for my degrading language but I am broken.

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