A Promise To Love

What does it mean to become one? This Christmas I bought rings for a couple of my closest friends, a symbol of my promise to them that I would go through life together with them for all of our lives and even into eternity. It was powerful and brought strong emotions. This isn’t the kind of marriage that you experience between a husband and a wife, but more of an adoption. By choice, we choose to become family. Marriage is just a word to describe a commitment to love.

I am speaking to you dear reader, I need you to know that if I had the money to buy each of you a ring as a sign of my commitment, I would do so. You see, I dream of a people that are 100% committed to one another, to love one another for all of time. We read about this family that God sees us as, but do we really believe it?

We were never meant to be divided in any way. It was not the initial plan of God for us, we got our beginning as two people created by God in His image, Adam and Eve. Therefore, we truly are all related, though uniquely diverse in our beauty.

Let me ask you something, have you ever sat and thought what the people in heaven are like? This community of countless number who all know each other’s names, who all get along, who all fully enjoy serving one another over themselves, using their gifts to be an asset to the whole community. They are at peace with one another, they are carefree, they play together, work together and enjoy one another’s company. Actually, they can’t get enough of one another. The greatest among you shall be your servant. Matt 23:11. learning to use who we are and what we can do to be a blessing to others is a great gift God has given us to express love for one another. In heaven no one ever fears anyone because everyone truly loves everyone wanting the best for one another. No one ever has any desire to hurt anyone, every motive and intention of our thoughts and actions are pure. We just want to show love to one another, always.

We can have that now! But it requires that we no longer see one another as strangers, instead we see one another as family. Not figuratively, but as a truth in our hearts. Committed to seeing each one as cherished family, desiring for one another to prosper and flourish as much as is possible with us. No single person can meet the needs of another, but as a family, as each of us does our part, as we use our unique gifts and talents, yes...we can.

The first step in changing our homes, changing our towns, our cities and our nation, is to become committed to one another as a family, just as committed as one who is in covenant marriage, adoption, or natural blood born birth, and to choose daily to open our eyes to the needs of the person in front of you at any given moment of that day and ask yourself, how can I help this person experience that they are valued, cherished and loved? At home, at your workplace, at the supermarket, on the streets. No one is a stranger, everyone is family.

Marriage is a unique gift, adoption is equally this same gift, you choose of your free will to commit to go through life together with someone no matter what. So even if they don’t yet satisfy your vision of love towards you, your purpose in life is to learn to love those who don’t return your love in like manor. This is the love of Christ. It is inside you as a seed, you must choose to grow it. It is easy to love those who love you back, it is true heart love when you can love those who don’t return that love back. That you are committed to love each other no matter what. Christ loves the righteous and the wicked with the same love, not favoring one over the other. The sun rises and falls for both. The rains come and water the crops of both. He bled His sinless blood for ALL, that all might see His great heart of love for them and choose Him. Even when perfect love is given, not all will choose it. Some just never will. But can you imagine a world with me where we all love one another in this way? Committed to prove and reveal our love for one another even if it means our own death so another might live? Is love that important to you, that you will put their lives as more valuable than your own?

Love always requires sacrifice. It can begin with sacrificing our time to reach out and bless another. It can begin with being conscious of others and us choosing to make sure they know with our words and actions that they are valuable, cherished for who they are simply because they were born, and that they are safe with you because you truly love them and have their best interests at heart.

I see a family, friends. I can’t stop seeing it. A family so large it’s members can’t be counted. I personally have already chosen you. Committed to go through life together with you in the measure that I am able. A choice to love the person who stands before me in that moment with who I am. There is no requirement for you to commit in return. Love is free. In my heart, marriage needs no contract, adoption needs no signing of papers, love and commitment is a choice. It is a MUCH stronger statement of love, when day by day, moment by moment, we continue to choose one another without a contract.

If a dog must be fenced to stay home, does he really love home? If love is truly felt by another...they will never have any desire to leave it.

As far as it is able with me, I promise to love...

Lisa Beth