Love is Restorative
Finding a Faith to Live By
Quilt wall hanging at the Earlham School of Religion in Richmond Indiana, where I received my Masters in Divinity in 2012.
Much has been written about love.
The Apostle Paul made one of the most prescient satements about love in his letter to the Church in Corinth when he wrote, “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.”
As beautiful as those words are, I think Paul left two important things out.
Love restores.
Love restores faith in ourselves and faith in others. It brings us back to life when we feel dead inside. It provides hope when we are ready to give up on hope. Love renews our strength when we feel the weakest. Love allows us to persevere.
Love transforms.
Love changes us from the inside out. It transforms anger into grace. It transforms bitterness and melancholy into hope.
If we encounter what we believe to be love and are not restored by it, it is not truly love.
If we encounter what we believe is love and are not transformed by it, it is not truly love.
Patience is not enough. Patience wanes. We will always be impatient at times.
Kindness is not enough. Kindness is short-lived. We will always be unkind at times.
Beyond what Paul says love IS (patient and kind), the rest of his words are mainly about what love is NOT. “It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud, etc.”
Paul’s message concludes with, “It (love) always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”
It is when love is restorative and transformative - that is, when love is authentic and becomes part of our spiritual essence - that is a love that will endure. A love that restores and transforms will “always protect, always trust, always hope and always persevere.”