The Sweet Payoff of Love

Wednesday night, at our church’s family dinner (a weekly blessing), we sat across from the cutest couple who married in December. He is 90 years old; she is 86. They are just recently out and about because three days before they married, she fell, broke her nose and required stitches from her nose to her lip. He fell a couple of days later. They are both going regularly for physical therapy.

While they were telling us their story, they kept looking into each other’s eyes and putting their heads on each other’s shoulder. They are obviously so much in love. So precious!

Almost married six months now, I realize we must keep working at the cuteness. As time goes on, we may start to take others for granted. Goodness! I don’t want that. I desire for this sweet love affair to go on from here to eternity!

I get it. Showing love and grace must be an ongoing practice. It’s easy to show grace once. But over time, little annoyances start to add up, our patience starts to falter, and it’s easier to respond to our loved ones less affectionately.

To experience a love that lasts, it takes a bushel load of mercy. No relationship — marriage or otherwise — is going to last without forgiveness, acceptance, patience, and a whole lotta grace.

We get loads of opportunities each day to extend grace to the people we love. Those are the ones who may have flaws and faults that irritate us. Truth is the longer we love somebody, the more we know their flaws. We can choose to either be critical or gracious.

We can be picky, or we can be kind. We can be perfectionists, or we can show mercy. Proverbs 17:9 says, “Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.”.

We must never hold on to anger…even for a little bit. The Bible says in Colossians 3:13, “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” We can choose to hold on to a hurt, or we can choose forgiveness. Only one option is healthy, and only one will give us freedom to move forward in love.

Showing grace is a sure way to heal a hurt. Grace doesn’t fight back or harbor a hurt or must have the last word. We don’t have to rely on our own strength. We can trust that as a follower of Jesus, we have the Holy Spirit working in us to help us choose the things God loves: mercy, compassion, and grace.

Sweet love is even sweeter when forgiveness heals a relationship. It isn’t always a big disagreement. Even the little misunderstanding or the lack of trust or slipping with a simple word of anger can spoil a moment. That’s why “love” – the God kind of love should always be our goal.

Goodness! I’m already writing a Valentine’s message – the one that speaks to us loud and clear. I Corinthians 13:4-7 says: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

We can be picky, or we can be kind. We can be perfectionists, or we can show mercy. Proverbs 17:9 says, “Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.”.

We must never hold on to anger…even for a little bit. The Bible says in Colossians 3:13, “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” We can choose to hold on to a hurt, or we can choose forgiveness. Only one option is healthy, and only one will give us freedom to move forward in love.

Showing grace is a sure way to heal a hurt. Grace doesn’t fight back or harbor a hurt or must have the last word. We don’t have to rely on our own strength. We can trust that as a follower of Jesus, we have the Holy Spirit working in us to help us choose the things God loves: mercy, compassion, and grace.

Sweet love is even sweeter when forgiveness heals a relationship. It isn’t always a big relationship disagreement. Even the little things of misunderstanding or the lack of trust or slipping with a simple word of anger can spoil a moment. That’s why “love” – the God kind of love should always be our goal.

Goodness! I’m already writing a Valentine’s message – the one that speaks to us loud and clear. I Corinthians 13:4-7 says: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”