Love

"Love is something more stern and splendid than mere kindness" - C.S. Lewis

Love is considered such a warm. fuzzy thing. I mean - we rarely think we are loving someone well by telling them they have a booger hanging out of their nose.

But seriously - as hard as that is - it is a better definition of love than the gooey thing that makes us get all teary eyed at sappy love stories.

One of my biggest regrets was letting a friend of mine go without telling him he had the BIGGEST booger hanging out of his nose. I was embarrassed. EMBARRASSED. I was embarrassed and proceeded to let my friend walk around with that thing in his nose until someone else finally had the nerve to tell him. I know it is crazy. But it bothers me that I did not tell him myself. I know- I need to move on.  But it was seriously selfish of me. ugh. hate it.

You have to be made of stern stuff to love others well and to be willing to be loved well according to C.S. Lewis's definition.

And of course, it is a maturity thing. I have taken a lot longer than your average person at growing up. I do believe a huge sign of maturity is how unselfish we are - how we consider others better than ourselves and sacrifice for them.

Loving others well will be uncomfortable sometimes.

I was talking to a dear friend at work the other day. She said, "If you love me, please let me know if you think I am doing something stupid instead of letting me keep on. I may cry a little - but I would much rather know than be thought a fool by continuing to do it". Such great words of wisdom. So true!

But it is hard. Especially for those of us who don't want people to feel badly. We don't want them to be uncomfortable. (hello me).

I encourage you to ponder this. How do we do this and do it well? How do we do it leaving the aroma of Christ?

It is something to consider well.

And please - if you see me with a booger hanging out of my nose, TELL ME.