Shallow Love

Posted by parkejladd on Aug 31, 2009 in Featured {Article} | 5 comments

We need to be people–brothers, sisters, friends, fathers, mothers, grandparents, husbands, wives–who are willing and committed to loving genuinely.  Today, unfortunately, there is a lot of admiration and attention given to those who love without depth, without compassion, without joy, without sorrow, without burden, without responsibility; who choose strictly to sweet talk and never to challenge.  There are a lot of pats-on-the-back to be had if you can carry on a myriad of shallow interactions with a lot of people, never digging deeply into what is truly relevant, important and challenging to them.  Shallow love is fake, and if we make it our habit to demonstrate or accept shallow love, than we too choose to be fake.

Love may always be kind, but it is not always nice.

Genuine love is never worried about offending a friend who is caught up in a wrong.  In fact, genuine love is compelled to hold it’s friends and loved one’s responsible for their words and actions–to hold them accountable for everything that they do or do not do.

What kind of friends would we be if we never stepped in to challenge each other–if we never called each other out for a wrong doing or injustice? We would be shallow friends–only concerned with our own well being, striving endlessly to make sure no one ever disliked us or talked poorly about us behind our backs.

Genuine love only speaks the truth; gently, kindly and compassionately helping each other grow and develop into great leaders, friends and family members.  Genuine love does not flatter or sugar coat, it speaks the truth out of concern, humility and authentic care for another.  Genuine love is not afraid to offend because it recognizes that the truth is worth sharing no matter what the personal cost.