Let Me Tell You How I Really Feel

My Dear Child,

Now that you are getting older I hope that you can more fully understand the love that I have for you. Ever since you were conceived I have cared for and loved you with all my heart. You are a precious gift, one of a kind, and I cherish every unique quality and feature that makes you, you.

Before I go any further, I feel that there is a need to briefly define this word 'love' that I'm throwing around. When I watch movies or hear some young people talking, I hear the word 'love' used to describe an overwhelming passion or desire brought on by strong emotion and feeling for another, much like when you taste an exquisit dessert, or go on an exciting ride and declare at once that you LOVE IT! We see this all the time; two people meet, they go out, they make each other laugh, they experience a strong sexual attraction, maybe even have sex, and after the first date they are ready to profess their undying "love" for one another. But this isn't love, not truly. It's people saying; "hey, you make ME feel really good and I really like what you do for ME."

Now look at the description of love that Paul gives in 1 Corinthians 13. Read it slowly;
"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends." This love, this permanent, limitless, and unconditional love, is true love. Rather than saying; "I like what you do for me, you make me feel good," it says; "I will do anything for you, no matter how you make me feel."

Jesus said the greatest demonstration of love is for someone to lay down their own life for the life of a friend. I think Paul learned his definition of true love from Jesus, a man who layed down his life for the people he professed to love. He did this everday as he patiently taught them, cared for them, and provided for them. He didn't divorce them when they upset him, or fall out of love when they made him mad. He made an unconditional committment to give his life for theirs, and he followed through all the way to the cross.

So you see my precious child, when I say; "I love you," I am not simply declaring that you make me feel good, it is so much more than that. When I say; "I love you," it means that I have made a committment to lay down my life for yours every single day. I do this gladly simply because you are mine. I gave you life, I gave you your name, and I will love you forever.

-Dad