Love.
What comes to mind when you hear that word? Red roses and sparkly diamonds? Silvery moonlight? Hearts and glitter and flowers and hugs and kisses?
The thing that we picture when we talk about love is often something nice and pretty. We like to imagine love as safe and canny, and enjoyable. But it’s not. Love isn’t safe. What comes to mind when we picture “love” should not be touchy-feely. We like to think that if love was visible it would be pink and lovely and comfortable.
But the reality of love is the cross. Tears–pain–darkness–blood–sweat–grime–wood splinters in your skin.
God is love, and He loved us even when it meant abandoning His son to torture and death. To love someone is not to be made happy by them. It means choosing to hang on and never let go, and let them drag you through things you never wanted to experience and don’t know how to handle. Loving people is painful.
But it’s worth it–so, so worth it. It’s so, so beautiful.
Love is the ultimate clash of beautiful and ugly. It is healing and life running to death and pain. Loving is impossible on our own. We could never be brave enough. You can only truly love someone when you pray for God’s help, and fight to bring them closer to Him.