Christian Living

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Something that greatly concerns me today is if our new generation of young people really know what true love is. This includes Christian young people.

Young people are continually saturated with the images and teachings of our godless society. There is an emphasis on physical beauty to the point where every woman is supposed to look like a model, or every man like a body builder. Emotions and feelings of the moment are advertised throughout the media. Many young people are coming out of dysfunctional families where biblical love has never been modeled. Homosexuality has become acceptable by a high percentage of our populace.

Too often true love is replaced and equated with lust. See my article entitled "Are you a luster or a lover?" We have unwanted pregnancies and aborted babies caused by an erotic impulse of the moment. Many young men(and older) are addicted to porn. Sex outside of marriage has beoome acceptable to many people, even among some professing Christians. Many marriages are divorcing.

It makes you wonder how many people even know the meaning of real love anymore.

The question is, which has become more strongly embedded into the hearts and minds of our young people? Is it the cultural portrayal of "love" or biblical truth? Has the church done an adequate job of challenging the culture and giving our young men and women a biblical picture, both through teaching and example as to how God intended love to be.

Unless there is a concerted attempt to teach morality and bliblical truth, by churches and families, where is the foundation upon which our young people can build relationships that work? There must be continual emphasis of what constitutes biblical and godly love. It may be a good idea for every young person to memorize I Corinthians 13 in the Bible, known as the love chapter. This instruction has to be very focused, like someone saying, "Gather around, young people, and learn what love REALLY is."

Along with this chapter, the reader must take into account two very crucial factors:

1. Love is based on will, not feelings. You can choose to love.
2. There must be commitment.

Without will and commitment there is nothing left but feelings or emotions, and they cannot be trusted. They change according to events, circumstances, or whether or not we like what someone did to us.

Then, our young people must understand that godly love doesn't just happen. Developing true love requires a lot of time and effort. Beware of the saying, "We just fell in love." Also, be careful about the words, "love at first sight." There can easily be lust at first sight, but it is much harder to know there is love at first sight.

Above all of this, when you are searching for your life's mate, don't seek to find your "Mr. or Mrs. Right" as much as you seek to have your heart right toward God. There must be moral and spiritual truth, including marriage meaning one man and one woman.

Love will not work any other way. We must have young people who are willing to stand above the crowd and culture, and be living examples of loving, God's way.

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