LOVE IS... (MODERN DAY WEDDING VOWS)

I take you, as my property, for you to do everything I tell you to do from this day forward, only for better because when it gets bad I’m running off with someone else, only for richer because if you stop buying me everything I ask for then I’m running off with someone who will, only in health because as soon as you get sick I’m leaving and letting you take care of yourself, to love and to cherish; until it becomes inconvenient for me, because after all it is about what you do for me and nothing more. I mean who really cares whether or not I’m understanding or caring or appreciative. Who really cares what I’m doing to the kids, after all, all I care about are my own needs and wants and if you can’t give them to me then I’ll go find someone who will. But until that day I guess I’ll put up with you as long as you do what I say, buy me what I want and don’t expect anything in return from me…

Love is impatient, and is unkind; love is envious; love is boastful, and is proud, and behaves itself unseemly, is selfish, is easily provoked, thinks evil; rejoices in iniquity, but does not rejoice in the truth; does not bear all things, believes nothing, hopes for nothing, and endures nothing. Love fails . . .

Imagine if that’s what love was? But, if you look at what the world calls love, this is what you get. People say they love, but when things don’t go their way right away, then run out. They claim to love, and yet are always speaking unkind words to those they claim to love. They say they love, but they demand you spend all your time with them and get upset when you want to spend time with friends. They claim to love, but are always bragging about what THEY do for you and how lucky you are to have THEM. They want you to believe they love you, but what happens when you won’t sleep with them or let them do other things, they’re gone. “If you loved me you’d have sex with me”, right? How about “why don’t you love me”, “why don’t you ever show me you love me”, “I love you so much and you don’t love me”. Try saying no to the person who claims to love you and see how angry they get. See how fast those kind words turn to cursing and hateful speaking. If that person really loved you, do you think they would really want you to do such immoral things out in public for all to see? But you see people everywhere practically mauling each other in public. They walk around with “hickies” and bite marks, like if they were a badge of honor. And if you don’t let them do those things to you, what happens? They break up with you and find someone who will. They don’t want your excuses, they just want what they want and don’t settle for anything else. They don’t care about your morals or self respect, because that only gets in the way of what they want. So, if you won’t give it to them, they find someone who will. This is the love the world has to offer.
I’m so glad this isn’t the love God speaks of. I’m so glad that when I sin, God doesn’t say, “who has time to wait until you stop sinning, you’re going to hell”. I’m so glad Jesus didn’t say “die for people I don’t know, I don’t think so”. I am so grateful that Jesus didn’t say “let them die for their own sins” or didn’t destroy the world before I could exist. I’m so glad God sent his son to show us the truth we could live in. I’m so glad that God believes that I can and will change, even if those around me don’t think so. I am so glad that God waits for the day I decide to walk according to his will. I am so glad that even though my friends’ love fails, even though my family’s love fails, and even though the love of the one I love fails; the love of God never fails.

Love is patient, and is kind; love envies not; love vaunts not itself, is not puffed up, does not behave itself unseemly, seeks not her own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil; rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. Love never fails . . .
(I Corinthians 13)