The other day my daughter pointed to my side and asked what those scars were. I told her they were my stretch marks from when I had her, and her brother, in my womb.
She made a scowl, and said, “I’m sorry.”
I immediately replied, “I’m not! It’s the evidence of my love for you.”
Love always leaves a mark
Real love involves sacrifice. It’s not easy and it always comes with a price.
The world tries to sell fake love, or lust as the real deal, but there are tell-tale signs that show the difference.
Fake love will always ask for something in return, and often leaves you feeling empty. Lust will leave you feeling worthless and used, ashamed and broken.
However, real love will help you understand your value and fill your cup to overflowing, allowing you to pass love on to others.
The proof is in the evidence.
Here is some evidence of love: – bags under a mother’s eyes from staying up in the night with her child – parents going without so their kids can experience new activities – a husband or wife choosing to turn down advances from the opposite sex and staying true to their spouse – a parent giving up a career to raise their child(ren) for years – an adult child turning their basement into a home for their elderly parent(s) instead of making that new home theatre – a father playing a game he doesn’t care for because it brings joy to his child
Love involves giving up time, money, emotion, your body, or all of the above.
It’s not loud or flashy, and sometimes you have to look for it, but love always leaves evidence.
A long journey
I worked with an amazing woman and author a few years ago as she published one of her books, Bring Each Other Home.
This woman, Angelina Fast-Vlaar, truly knows about the sacrifice of love.
Her book describes the time when she found out her second husband (she had already been widowed once) was diagnosed with dementia. She stayed with him for years right to the very end, as God asked her to “bring him home”.
It was incredibly rough as she watched her husband and best friend start to not recognize her, and in moments treat her rough.
Angelina’s consistent devotion is incredible evidence of love, right up until her man went to be with the Lord. If you haven’t read the book, I highly recommend grabbing a copy!
You see, long after the feeling of love had dissipated, Angelina made the choice to love anyway.
The greatest love of all
“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.” – 1 John 3:16
The Creator who made all things didn’t just create pawns on a chess board or robots to blindly follow Him. He created humanity to first be loved and then love Him and others in fellowship.
How do we know this?
“For God so loved the world that He gave…” (John 3:16).
If you’re a parent, you understand the idea of giving up one of your children would be excruciating, to say the least.
However, God loves you and I so much that we can blatantly see the evidence, in the holes in His sons hands and feet, and the scars on His body and head from being beaten. He gave Jesus over to humanity who quickly turned on Him, and crucified Him.
It is the greatest love of all.
When you close your eyes and receive the best gift ever, you automatically want to love on others in a radical way. A way where the world can’t help but notice and say “why on earth would a person do that?”
Love, my friends. Real love that can heal the most broken of hearts and mend relationships no one thought could ever be mended.
It takes dedication, sacrifice, and time, but it is always worth it, because God showed you and I that we’re worth it. His son Jesus, is the evidence.
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