Sadly in our society it commonly refers to what I want. People tell someone they love them quite commonly. In our society this is what it means for some people: "I want to use you for my own personal gain. I'll only be using you as long as you suit my wants/needs, and when someone else can do it better, well tough luck, it doesn't bother me, since I get what I want"
This is Shallow! That's not what love means. It's on the other side of the universe from this "meaning". That's not love it's called being self-centered!
What is love supposed to mean then? Love should mean: "I care for you, I place what you want ahead of what I want. I want what's in your best interest, and I'm willing to sacrifice what I want for you. I place your well being above my own." This doesn't just apply to a romantic relationship. Love applies in any family (at least it should). Like siblings for example, they mess around but in the end they're loyal. Any kind of phrase with this meaning shouldn't be cast around lightly in any way! It's no wonder why so many dating relationships (I've never been in one myself, so I don't know what it's like for it to end badly) end badly, when there's these two definitions of love floating around. The love that one of the parties means, isn't what the other believes it to be! And for the one who holds the Deep meaning, it always ends badly!
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world he gave his one and only Son..."
Now what does this verse become when using the two different definitions of love...
First, the shallow version which translates: God loved himself so much, and wanted what was in his best interest so he gave his only son who was perfect, to save us from all of our countless sins. That makes no sense! This can't be the definition of love!
Now the deeper version (which is the true meaning of love): "God, who cared for our well being more then we can imagine, gave his one and only Son, to save us from our sins."
That makes much more Sense!
Jesus loved everyone! He associated with people some Christians won't even look at. He associated with the people some Christians condemn, but never try and help. Not only did he associate with them, but he Loved them, and if he loved them so should all people who profess Christ. Jesus was so far above us, yet he associated with us. Yet some of us won't associate with certain people, who are in the same position we are. For we all have sinned, and need Christ to get into heaven. Yet, some of us ignore them, and all they do is tell them God hates what they're doing. Instead we should be showing them love. God sees them as worthy of his kingdom. Yet some tell them they aren't. Who are we to say whether they're worthy or not. It that's the case those people might as well say they know better then God. Some are even getting those people farther away from God. How horrible of a sin is that! What's worse then to lead someone away from Christ, and eternal life!
Those of us judge them excessively. We judge them by Christian standards, which these people have never agreed to be bound to. This makes us appear as a judgemental group. We are making Christianity unappealing to some people, and some resent us! We're supposed to spread love to the world, not hate. The only thing we should hate is our selves, and the evil one. These people need to be freed, The way to do this isn't by condemnation. It's by showing them love, and exemplify Christ to them by our own actions. How can they see God's love when all we show them what we don't like in them? We can't.
There's no greater tragedy then the Spiritual condemnation of a person. Do you want to go to God with the burden of creating more distance between another person and God? I sure wouldn't.
Love is powerful. Love is what has been shown to us through Christ.
P.S. Phoenix is a stage two mantid. It means he molted. But, it wasn't a success, or a failure. He's suffered a Major injury. Alive, but severely handicapped. I had to help him out of his skin. It took 10 minutes, 9 trying to get him to get himself out. I lost my patience and grapped as close to the skin I could get, and thankfully I got his two back legs out. I could've easily ripped his legs apart, but thankfully unlike all the other times I tried this, it didn't happen. His legs are mangled beyond the knee joint though. Right now I would say Phoenix is the least likely mantid to make it to adulthood. He went from the most likely, to the least likely. He needs to eat, if he doesn't by tomorrow, then there isn't anything I can do. It's all up to him now. If he was adult, or a few molts away from it, then I would be able to hand feed him, but he's way too small at this stage in the game. I really hope Phoenix lives up to his name, and like the Phoenix in mythology rise up out of the ashes. This picture shows it quite clearly.
yeah it's pretty bad...
