What Does Your Love Look Like?

So sorry - somehow yesterday's Victory Call did not get posted.  It is available on the website - www.americakeswick.org - please check it out; it's a great thought from Joyce Hayes.  On another note, the Family Freedom Walk was last Saturday.  We had a great day - and the Lord brought in over $56,000!  And ladies, we beat the Freedom Fighters - $115 - $0!!!!!  Thanks for your support!

Love is patient. Love is kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices when the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses fait; is always hopeful. Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 1

While attending a marriage retreat weekend recently, the group was asked the following question: "Is it possible to love your spouse too much?"

One-by-one husbands and wives answered. The responses included a yes, a no, a concern for boundaries. One said they didn't want to enable bad behavior and another stated love is not "fuzzy wuzzy".

What do you think? Is it possible to love a spouse too much? Is it possible to love anyone too much?

A few months ago I was challenged to take the description of love from First Corinthians 13 and do a detailed word search. In other words, I was to take what God's Word says love "is" and define each word.

Let me just tell you, up until that point, I thought I did a pretty good job of loving the people in my life. Allow me to share some of the definitions I found. This is not an exhaustive list, just some that stuck out to me.

Love is...

PATIENT-without discontent

KIND-disposed to do good to others and to make them happy by granting their requests

NOT JEALOUS-not suspicious

NOT PROUD-not possessing a high conceit of one's own excellence; overbearing

NOT RUDE-not rough; fierce; harsh or raw

NOT IRRITABLE-not susceptible to anger or passion easily

KEEPING NO RECORD OF WRONGS-not calling to mind, reciting or repeating when I have been treated unjustly or injured

NOT DEMANDING MY OWN WAY-to not claim or seek with possession MY method, mode or manner of doing something

Love...

NEVER GIVES UP/NEVER LOSES FAITH-Never! (Is to not at any time in no degree)...

So love: not at any time; in no degree; not ever yields to stopping. Love not at anytime; not ever; in no degree stops believing.

ALWAYS HOPEFUL-to perpetually throughout all time continually; constantly have the belief that good may be obtained 2

I will tell you that as I did this it became painfully obvious to me that, although I could and have been loving, I was not by definition, moment-by-moment, day-by-day actively living out what God says love "is".

Love has to look like what love is defined as in scripture. It is not possible to love my spouse too much. In fact, there are times when it's a challenge to love-period and even more it's a challenge to actively, purposely, and intentionally love.

But after doing the above challenge a deep desire has been ignited in me to be lovely. I desire to be a lovely wife who will gracefully tarry in loveliness. I desire to awake each day and purposely, with intent, love my husband, my children, my family and friends unto the Lord.

Pray with me:

Lord my redeemer, I know I have failed over and over again and yet you love me. Help me and my sisters reading this Victory Call to love intentionally moment-by-moment.

Help us to never allow this world to define love for us, but to always be mindful of what You say love "IS" and help us to choose to live it out.

We desire to be lovely unto you. Would you change us from the inside out? In your name, Jesus, Amen.

Kim Spicer
WOC Graduate

1 New Living Translation and New American Standard
2 American Dictionary of the American Language Noah Webster 1828 ed.