More Love, More Power

I've discussed some aspects of love back a few months ago, but in a recent confrontation, I was amazed that the same 'ol, same 'ol was going on.

First, with all apologies to Miriam Webster, all the definitions of love are fine, but aren't very succinct. Here's how I define "Love" -- seeking the other's highest good in God's Purpose. It's not "Chicken Love". And it's not "Fluffy Love."

"Fluffy Love" is what this person was presenting the case of Christ's love for us. They went on to say that His love wouldn't insult. His love wouldn't confront. His love was all nice and fluffy. (They didn't say that last sentence). They also cut and pasted the old standards of I Cor. 13 and a bunch of others.

But where was the passage on the money-changers? Doesn't Jesus love everyone? So love would include whipping someone who is astray? Or have we finally found someone Jesus doesn't frankly love? (And before you go there, go ahead and discount John 3:16, for God so loved the whole world... Because God=Jesus so Jesus loves the whole world).

What about Matt 19. Didn't he love the rich young ruler? Why did He let him walk away? Didn't Jesus have any compassion for him? What about Peter? Jesus looked him in the eye and called him Satan. And here's a biggie-- What about Matt. 15? The Gentile woman. The one He called a "dog." He insulted her. So love can include insults?

You betcha. Why? Because Jesus was seeking their highest good. Not their highest comfort. Or to make them feel as good as they can.

Love is Truth. Comfortable and feel good. Or uncomfortable causing change. And yes, it's is HARD sometimes to love someone.

I hope when I'm walking the straight and narrow, and when I"m not, that those around me will truly "LOVE" me. That they will have the strength to love me. Like Jesus does... He's not afraid to call me on flesh.

Eschew "Fluffy Love" and "Chicken Love" and pursue "True Love." You'll know by the fruits.

Love is... defining terms

I had someone talk about the movie "The Imposter" and mention how the character of Tara just "loved too much" her wayward husband Johnny C. You see, Johnny C uses her like a doormat and she just keeps taking it because she "loves him too much."

Well, that's just evil. First, let's define "Love." How about, "seeking the others highest good and purpose?" So if she enables him, how is she loving him? Is it even possible to "love too much?" No. The biggest stink here is trying to cover up this selfishness with a noblility. "Oh, I'm enabling him because it's just too hard to do the right thing, but I'll call it love because it makes me feel better about myself." Yeah, that's refuse.

You can have true love as defined above. And you can have "Chicken Love." That's the kind of love where you get a great piece of chicken in front of you, grilled to perfection and you say "I love chicken." What are you really saying? "I love the way chicken makes me feel."

So the Imposter is Tara in this instance at the beginning of our story. She stays in a dysfunctional relationship because there's a payoff for her. Please don't confuse it with "loving too much." She's selfish and living for her own flesh, her own Ego. Not until she does the hard things to give Johnny C a chance to choose his highest good and purpose, does she finally love him.

You see, can a Narcissist even truly love? No, of course not.

Loving Too Much

"I guess I just love them too much." This is the cry of the enabler, the co-dependent. And actually, it is completely false. It's a LIE.

Definition of Love-- seeking the others highest good and purpose.

So you avoid confronting your adult son, who is using drugs, living in your house because you "love him too much?" That really smells. Seeking the others highest good sometimes isn't goose-bumpy. Sometimes it isn't comfortable. Sometimes it just doesn't feel good. But if you truly Love, you'll walk through what you have to walk through.