Friday, July 23, 2010

wisdom

A. Love is NOT
1. Something you "fall into" - a black hole.
2. Infatuation. Emotional loss of control. "Flipped out.." "Couldn't help myself." Romanticism
and sentimentalism. "Puppy love." Boy-crazy; girl-crazy.
3. Evaluating another by external criteria. "She's a #10"
4. Selfish. Interested in "getting" to satisfy my needs.
5. Taking advantage of another (age, height, weight, looks, intellect, emotional maturity,
spiritual maturity, social standings, social skills, psychological understanding, place of
authority, financial superiority, etc.)
6. Improper need fulfillment. Need for love, acceptance, relating, bonding, belonging, to be
valued, affirmed, excitement, identity, etc.
7. Lust. Hormones. Lasciviousness, sensuality. "Let's get physical."
8. Sex. "Making love."
9. Idolatry. "..........is my life." Totally preoccupied in attention and time.
B. Love is...
1. Respectful of the other person's values, standards and opinions.
2. Unselfish and unconditional.
3. A decision to relate to the other person at every level - spiritual, psychological and physical.
4. Giving of oneself to the other.
5. Responsible to seek the highest good of the other person "for better or for worse."
6. God in action. (Rom. 5:5; I John 4:8,16)

by weiwei at 10:24 PM |