Proverbs 10:12
“I accept you as you are.”
“I believe you are valuable.”
“I care when you hurt.”
“I desire only what is best for you.”
“I erase all offenses.”
We could call that the ABCs of love. And I don’t know of anybody who would turn his back on such magnetic, encouraging statements.
There is nothing shallow about authentic love. Nor is it a magic wand we whip out and wave over a problem with a whoosh, hoping all the pain will go away.
Real love has staying power. Authentic love is tough love. It refuses to look for ways to run away. It always opts for working through. It doesn’t cop out because the sea gets stormy and rough. It’s fibrous and resilient. . . .
While the world around us gives the opposite counsel, love stands firm.
Excerpted from Wisdom for the Way by Charles Swindoll. Copyright © 2021 by Charles R. Swindoll. Used by permission of HarperCollins Christian Publishing. www.harpercollinschristian.com.
