When I was younger, I was embarrassed by love. Don’t get me wrong, I loved my parents and they loved me more than I knew, but whenever it came to romance, love songs, and even the word “love,” I would have nothing to do with it. I can’t say entirely why–my parents made sure I knew that at my age I had no business getting into romantic relationships, and the time when I could was so far ahead I couldn’t even imagine it. But looking back, it seems rather silly, because now I realize that love is the main purpose of my life. I may not be married or have a girlfriend, but the more I think about it, love is behind most of what I do, or at least it should be.
Why do I go to Truth For The World every day and work? Because I love the people in the world who are lost and need the gospel. Why do put in hours of study to prepare sermons and Bible classes? Because I love my Christian family and want to give them something they can learn from. Why do I take time to pick out songs and lead them in the worship assembly? Because I love the Lord and His people, and want to help us all worship Him in one mind as one body.
Why do I fight sin and strive to live a pure life? Because I love the Lord, and am grateful for all that He has done to redeem me, and I realize how insulting it is to Him when I blatantly sin.
Why do I spend time with friends and do things with them? Because I love them and I want to be a part of their lives. Why do I study the Bible? Because I love God and want to know Him better. Why do I learn languages? To open doors of communication with more people who may come to the Lord.
Something my father has taught me is that the opposite of love is not hate, but selfishness. And I see that so clearly now. As an introvert, love doesn’t come easy to me. The path of least resistance would be to just stay home and entertain myself. But if I truly love others, I’m going to keep myself busy serving them and being with them. It’s a struggle for me sometimes, but it’s so worth it.
Yes, as much as it would embarrass my twelve-year-old self, the truth is that life is all about love. And I have to keep reminding myself of that fact, or else I’ll fall back into selfishness. The selfish Me likes to feel sorry for itself, to say that people don’t do things for me or appreciate what I do. The selfish me gets discouraged that I always feel behind since I’m involved in so many activities. But the loving Me brings everything back in focus when I realize God is the center, and I’m just a servant. The loving me is always glad to take time to be with others, since that’s what a loving friend does. And that’s what I want to be: Someone who loves with all of his being, because God is Love, and I want to be like Him.