Tough Love

I’m sitting at Starbucks on a beautiful evening, trying to write a talk for High Schoolers about the most beautiful topic in all of Human History:  Coffee.  No, not really, Love actually.  To tell you the truth, I’m really struggling with it.  The Bible says some really crazy things about Love, things that are meant to put a spot light on whomever practices them.  Things that are so contrary to our popular, social norms.  Let me share 10:

1. Greater Love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
2. Love your neighbor as yourself.
3. Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
4. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ’sinners’ love those who love them.
5. Love must be sincere.
6. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
7. Do everything in love.
8. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature ; rather, serve one another in love.
9. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
10. He who does not Love abides in death.

We get ideas of these things from movies and Reader’s Digest.  When someone loves like this, we put it in the news next to Teens Fight Over Football Game.  We celebrate them and forget them.

I have people that I think of in regards to most of these verses on love, but sadly and shamefully, I don’t think of the Church.

Who do you think of?