Crazy Little Thing Called Love

Today, I had the privilege to watch the show by Footstool Players, "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" again. And of course, this time I brought my bestfriend, Jessie, a friend who has stuck by me through thick and thin. As I watched the sketches, I noticed the different type of love that was highlighted.

Storge love - the parent-child love (and conflicts)

Eros love - romantic interests

I loved the show as it made me reflect. And I realized that Phileo love (platonic relationships) wasn't depicted. I guess sometimes it's hard to highlight platonic love in shows.

The show concluded with one of the most famous Bible Verses that tends to be recited at weddings.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a, 13 New International Version (NIV)

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails. 

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

As I meditate upon every word, I realized..

Wow, to love someone is really difficult.

Due to our fallen/sinful nature, it's easy for us to be self-centered and self-serving. But what God has instructed us to do is a direct opposite. What I see here is a call to "active" love and also restraint. Seems like an oxymoron but it makes sense... well, at least to me.

It's so easy to blow our top. God tells us to be Patient.

It's so easy to utter cruel words or to mistreat others. God tells us to be Kind.

It's so easy to be jealous of other's good fortune (i'm not just talking about material fortune). God tells us to restrain from jealousy. So, if we refrain from jealousy, what are we to do? I think the call here is to share the joys of good fortune with the person. 

It's so easy to just focus and highlight on our own good fortune (again, not just material). God tells us to refrain from being snobs. Again, what are we to do, apart from refraining from boasting/being a snob? I think humility is the key here. 

The list goes on. As I continued to read about love keeping no record of wrongs... love protecting, trusting, hoping and persevering, I can't help but to feel overwhelmed. How do I even do that? Especially when I am in no way able to accomplish that.

While reflecting on this, another bible verse came to mind.

1 John 4:7-21

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God;but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

13 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen,cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

Reading this, I was struck me by a few things:

1. Love originates from God. God has shown us how to love. And He gave us a perfect example - He sacrificed His Only Son to die for us, undeserving sinners. 

2. God has also given us His Spirit to teach us and enable us to love. 

3. We rely on God to make love complete.

4. We love because we have received unconditional love from Him. 

At the end of the day, only God is able to provide us the means to love others the way He wants us to. But we need to strive towards it. It takes effort and courage. And it also requires God's strength and grace.