When I say "I LOVE YOU"

"I love you" is arguably the most loosely used words by people. It is carelessly tossed around by men and women alike without great thoughts given to its meaning. For many the words "I LOVE YOU" is a means to an end and not an end in itself. In some cases it’s even used as an instrument of abuse. For instance, many blame an abusive relationship on love. Recently, a man "battered" the mother of his new born child in the heat of an argument and later pulled are to his laps, rained kisses on her and said "sorry darling but you know I love you"! The poor woman remained in the relationship purely out of fear of being alone and justified the man's action as a consequence of “drunken love".
• • True love will never consciously hurt the other no matter the provocation. 
  • True love implies commitment through the good times and the not so palatable situations. 
  • True love is saying what you mean and meaning what you say. 
  • Love is not determined or motivated by external factors.
  • It is a conscious decision not based on emotions alone.
  • It is a deliberate decision to remain in love no matter what.
  • Love is work.
  • Love does not bully.
  
  
  
  For some love is an acquired behaviour as it does not come naturally and has to be learnt. Since God is the author of love, let’s examine what love truly means in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, I call it the LOVEOMETRE.  
                                     
  Love is kind. 
  It does not envy,
  It does not boast, 
  It is not proud. 
  It does not dishonour 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.
  Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
   And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love
  Love is patient,
   Love gives wings to faith.
  So how did you fair on the loveometer? Good? Fair? Average or non existent? There is hope yet!
  Next time you say I love you, check your actions against the parameters of the God kind of love only then are you sure of meaning what you say!