Free Love

If you’ve ever stepped foot in a church or read the Bible, you’ve heard, “love keeps no record of wrongs.”  It is part of the definition of love.

For most of my life, I assumed that definition meant that I was to forgive others.  Simple.  I forgive.

Oh, but the catch…if it suits me and is an account worth remembering to get my way or make someone feel as if they owe me, well, in those “rare” instances it is permissible to bring up a forgiven topic.

That is not free love.  As a matter of fact, love is found nowhere in that definition.  Love is keeping no account of a wrong suffered.  Love is freedom.  When we love, we are free.  When we take into account a wrong suffered or hang on to a story about being “done wrong,” well, we are weighing ourselves down.

I doubt very seriously that Jesus is going to sit around on His throne and say, “remember that time you had five husbands and I called you out at the well?”

Don’t get caught being a simple thinker.  Forgive and actually drop the offense.

Love is free.

Brian and I are about to celebrate our 18th wedding anniversary.  If we kept a record of wrong we would both be so bitter, so burdened that we would miss the best parts of our relationship.  Our love would be so darn expensive that neither one of us could afford each other.

Real love is free and forgiveness is a choice.  If you are going to choose it – forget.

Like many things in the Bible, most people assume that God is making our lives more difficult by putting down so many absolutes.  But actually, it is just the opposite.  God is giving us freedom.  By asking us to be like ducks and allowing offenses to slide off our back, He is actually freeing us from carrying the pain, hurt and mistrust.  He is also showing us grace and giving it to us freely.

If you are described as a great lover, if you are known for your love…well, then carry on.  But if you struggle in your relationships, may I suggest that you give away your love?  Maybe, just maybe, you will find that love is free after all and that you were just too expensive for others to purchase your love.

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