"I'm not a smart man, but I know what love is."

People post so many things about love and kindness and romance.  They sound so pretty and true.  Like, "Love thy neighbor.  No exceptions."  Or, "You are my happiness."  Or,"Love is love."  Or, "You complete me."  This is the instagram love story, scribbled in beautiful font across a filtered ocean sunset, the silhouettes of hands holding.  I read these on people's walls, social media pages, on t-shirts and tattoos.  Do I disagree with any of these quotes?  No.  I can't.  Why would I?  You should love your neighbor with no exceptions.  Love is love.  Who am I to say if one person completes another person or not?

But I'm confused and I'm sad.  Because I want to see love like an instagram story.  I want to see care like the flowery verses in the kitchen.  I want to see kindness like the t-shirts that tell me to be kind.  I want to see faithfulness like the tattoos that claim that person is faithful.

I wish I saw more kindness then I see quotes about kindness.
For a culture that's obsessed with love and not being judged, we've become unloving and judgmental.

I don't know what you've been told about your identity, who you think you are, who you want to be, what culture has told you you should be, who you're attracted to, who you hate, or where you're from.  But anyone can love.  Not because it's easy but because it's built into the way we're created.
Anyone can complement.  You can choose to walk away from gossip.  You can choose to be kind.  You can choose to not retaliate when you're hurt.  You can let the other person do the talking.  You can give a hug to that lady who's always correcting you.  You can put your pride and opinions and offense on the shelf and just listen.  You don't have to agree with everything everyone says and you don't have to be a people-pleaser.  Love is as simple as saying, "You first."

Don't call yourself open-minded and boycott the first person who's opinion differs from yours.  If you feel your convictions are being challenged, what's a better time to listen?
Don't say you're a loving person.  Just love people.

I'm not a smart man, but I know what love is.

-Forrest Gump

Surround your self with people that challenge how you think.  Not people who nod their heads and act like they agree.  Those people who cut you open just to watch you bleed.  Always be yourself, not the person you pretend to be. 

-NF (Remember)

The world moves for love.  It kneels before it in awe.

-The Village.

Lead me to the cross, where your love poured out.  Bring me to my knees, Lord I lay me down.  Rid me of myself.  I belong to you.

-Hillsong United (Lead Me to the Cross)

If I give all I possess to poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.  Love is patient.  Love is kind.  It does not envy.  It does not boast.  It is not proud.

-Paul

Just to be with you, I'd anything.  There's no price I would not pay.  Just to be with you, I'd give anything.  I would give my life away.

-Third Day (Love Song)