Intention of Love

Intention of Love

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION

Whenever I think of love, I always imagine my perspective to be somewhat askew from others, and I do not think I am alone in my perspective. While various people confuse love with lust, others have come to the conclusion that love is soft, sweet and overtly feminine. If love could be seen, it would be pink, frilly and have white lace on its trim. I imagine love would carry a parasol and wear a petticoat under a poofy outer garment like an antebellum Southern Belle . . . yuk!

It seems to me that love is much more than butterflies in the stomach or a funny infatuation. According to this verse, Love is a catalyst for other gifts or works to come to a Godly purpose. Love seems to be the fuel that makes the supernatural gifts of the Spirit run at peak performance.

The sort of love God showed in the Old Testament was anything but froufrou. To me, the most opulent display of love in the Old Testament was spelled out in the life of Hosea. God had Hosea go and purchase his prostitute wife back from her pimp as a display of how God would buy us back from sin. There is no frilly pink stuff with lace on that sort of love. In the New Testament we see the culmination of what Hosea’s purchase hinted at. We find God’s purchase of us in the death and resurrection of His son.

Yes, love is a lot more than it seems, but there are probably some frilly things on it too.