“Love is never having to say you are sorry.” What a bunch of malarkey (or insert your favorite term.)
This was the tagline for the 1970 movie Love Story. The movie came out during a time of civil rights and war protests. Other popular sayings at the time were “Make love, not war” and “Give peace a chance.” The country was amid social change and searching for answers.
But if we want to truly define love, we need to go back to the original source code. Note: Welcome to my mind. How often do you get to read something that includes 70s culture references, geek talk, and God all in one place?
Anyway, God, through the Apostle Paul, gives us an explanation of what love is. But keep in mind that God doesn’t expect us to be perfect at meeting these attributes. In fact, He knows we won’t be. He gave us an entire book that shows us He knows we are not perfect. That is why we have Jesus.
Reading 1 Corinthians chapter 13 clarifies that our goals in love are not for what we receive, but for what we give. We could be great at doing a lot of great things, but if we don’t do them out of love, we have done nothing. And this doesn’t mean we do it because we love doing it, but we do it because of love and care for someone else. It is not self-serving. Yet, if we follow God’s plan, the more we give, the more we will receive.
Not saying we are sorry (to people or to God) means we are stuck in resentment and anger. These are contrary to what God wants for us: true freedom to experience the difficulties of life and keep going. This creates a full and mature life.
So what does God expect of us? An open heart willing to extend love, keep trying, and change if needed. Being able to say we are sorry, learn, grow, and move forward.
Even if you feel this text is familiar, I invite you to read it slowly and thoughtfully. Depending on where your mind is at when reading scripture, something different can stand out every time, something you need at this very moment.
“If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 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 whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” 1 Corinthians 13:1-7
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