What if the rumors are true, what if love is never a guarantee? What if love is like wrestling: even the strongest opponent is not guaranteed a win. Get the picture: a large fifth-grade bully goes to push (with all his might) a nimble third grader, who spins to the side, dodging the forceful blow. What happens to the inertia of the fifth grader’s push? He falls over, essentially bringing himself to his knees. If he pushes too hard, a weak opponent can counterbalance really easily. Love is not a wrestling match, but one thing stands true: Force equals too much.
Think about love for a second. It is a two way street, is it not? Two must walk it together. No matter how hard one may push (force) or how much he can try to prove himself without force (effort), it is never a guarantee that the other will reciprocate. Love is a gamble at times, yes, but learn well the lesson. Force equals too much. Effort equals too little. (I think about all of the roses I have bought, thinking there was something there was not.)
Equality is enough. But even then, the road is precarious, and there must at times be both effort and force.
What if the search for love requires neither? What if the only thing the search for love requires is patience on the Lord? What if the search for love could be simply finding that a friend has become more than a friend? Are force or effort yet appropriate here? What if what is appropriate is some time of prayer, and even more patience?
ReplyDeleteThey aren't appropriate, and I think that's the point! I don't think that the search itself requires force or effort, and I guess I should clarify that this blogpost is not about the search for a lover.
ReplyDeleteYou speak wise words, Mr. Livingston. Prayer is definitely key: Philippians 4:6-7 (a.k.a. the only other verse in the Bible that mentions guarding your heart) names prayer as the way to keep your mind steadfast on the Lord. Guarding your heart is not a means to an end, it isn't advice on dating or marriage. If anything it evidences that the world is a bigger place than one's dating prospect. Thank goodness for that! Patience is also good.