Several years ago, one of the top female vocalists posed the question, “What’s Love Got to Do with It?” Her forceful, secular answer was, “It’s nothing but a second-hand emotion.” 

Like so many of today’s relationships, the root of her response was to inform her lover that their relationship was anchored no deeper than an emotional, sexual connection. 

The profile of true love has squat to do with emotions, sex, (that “second-hand emotion”) physical attributes (like beauty, upper torso, lower torso, and gender). Genuine, identifiable love is active and involves a willingness to see the intrinsic value of others.
 
Husband and wife, parent and child, friendships, and other human associations may hold some of the ingredients resembling authentic love, but these are contestable if they lack the nature from whom all love flows. Darkness lurks at every step to alter emotions that may result in unforgiveness, hatred, or the breakup of a relationship.
 
As we are aware, just because a woman is a mother does not mean she will automatically remember to love her child. This equally applies to a father. Just because a husband and wife spend most of their lives together does not mean they will love each other until death separates them or until the dissolution of their relationship. Two people can live together for beaucoup years and not love one another. Over time, people change, but what does that have to do with walking away from someone we say we love?
 
Any union built on a solid foundation of love will be rooted in God’s nature and personality. His uniqueness will actively manifest itself in acts of loving care, steadfastness, faithfulness, meeting needs whenever possible, sacrifice, joy, and forgiveness toward the objects of God’s love. Like a small child being transported in a car, to God all of humankind is “precious cargo.”

The person who abides in Godly love is exceptional and different. He or she views another as the offspring of the love of God that radiates light and spiritual hope for humanity. We consider ourselves possessions of God. It is not within human nature to continuously be compassionate, nor to not hold grudges, to not be jealous (or envious), inappropriately competitive, overlook irreparable harm, or just plain unconditionally love each other. 
 
No, this is only possible by regeneration through His Son, Jesus Christ: “For God So Loved the World…” (John 3:16; I John 2:8-11)
 
This person sees and values humanity, not because of its unloveliness, stubbornness, fear, perverse habits, or bad choices, but because he or she understands that God’s creations are highly valuable and designed to do great things throughout life.
 
God gives us an alert when we speak of loving someone or something. We may accomplish many top-of-the-chart deeds, have mind-boggling intelligence, great political power, enjoy an ideal connection with someone, or have vast amounts of money and things amounting to more than the average person can calculate--but without love, we are worthless!

For those who feel like it’s not worth the effort to love the unlovable, just remember, that God is there for all of us every day. He delights in caring for us. He protects us, forgives us, intercedes for us, and most importantly, He loves us with an unconditional, everlasting, eternal love.

As a young child growing up, I had many names hurled at me. Some referred to the color of my skin, some to various parts of my physical body, others to my intelligence or lack thereof, others landed as curses to my human existence, and some even landed as so-called “compliments.”
 
I moronically ingested many of these names and permitted them to act like gremlins to penetrate my soul and define my existence and personae. Because of my spiritual ignorance of my true design, some of these names became my live-in soul mates for many years past my childhood.
 
I failed to realize that the depth of our being cannot be determined by the words of other extremely flawed individuals. Only God, The Creator, can determine the true reality of our existence.
 
The old cliché about sticks and stones is completely wrong. Names can hurt if you give them life. They will always yield rotten fruit: low self-esteem, confusion, depression, ceaseless anger, sadness, worthlessness, the false idea of real beauty, underachievement, ridiculous comparisons to others, ad infinitum.
 
Who we are is based on the relationship of God to humanity. We are made in the “image and likeness” of God, male and female,” (Genesis 1:26-27). We were created as a free moral personality, with a free will and capable of distinguishing between right and wrong. In this vein, our purpose must be to strive toward communion with God who desires to be in harmony with mankind and share His eternal love, grace, and abundant life.
 
God’s purpose for creating humanity with free will was to support the personality of mankind to choose an intimate relationship with Him. The love of God continually seeks to bond with His creations who often breach that connection through poor choices.
 
Jesus Christ, who is the image of God, and perfect in the “character” of God, was sent to help mankind conform to a Godly relationship. He is the vessel who can overcome our sinful personality and give us an advantage in our “metamorphosis” to return to God.
 
The moment we commit to walk with Jesus, the process of enjoying the benefits offered by God begins. Your inward person becomes the residence for the Holy Spirit who will move you forward in your fellowship with Him. He will guide and plant you closer to the promises of God which are always “Yes” and “Amen.” (I Corinthians 6:19) (2 Corinthians 1:20)
 
Everyone has his or her “stuff” to deal with in life. Therefore, others cannot possibly be perfectly correct in who or what they name you since they truly are clueless about the thoughts and attitudes of your heart. (Hebrews 4:12) In fact, you are also innocent of the true reality of who God intends you to be.
 
You can laugh and shout that you are “fearfully and wonderfully” made. (Psalm 139:14) Truth be told, this means you are a “splendid and miraculous” creation of God. (Psalm 139:14) Rejoice!
 
Don’t take in and embrace unwanted name-placing soul mates, rather start your passage in Jesus and experience God’s love and perception of you!

If you have been a driver for several years, no doubt, you have experienced a road detour caused by a freeway or thruway ramp closure, pavement work, or even an accident. Often, this may force you to find an alternate route that sends you a few miles out of the way of your intended destination.
 
Being unfamiliar with your alternate route could cause discombobulation or agitation, especially if it adds even more miles to your trip. You might even end up lost in an unfamiliar area that you read about but did not believe existed until now.
 
Make no mistake, throughout your life journey you will have the option to travel many different roads. Some will seem to be smooth sailing, and others will be full of ruts and potholes. You may start on a promising road, convinced that it leads to just what you thought you needed but end up with insincere friends, devastating disappointment, or useless, burdensome items. This road causes confusion and leads to a feeling of emptiness, emotional pain, and bewilderment. 
 
The road that seems to offer opportunities and is advertised as “too good to pass up” could be full of unexpected detours. In the unwise pursuit of financial success, you might find yourself in a deepening hole of debt, a victim of scams, or even bankruptcy. With your investment gone and your savings and checking account empty, this road filled with deception and misunderstanding, will lead to bitterness, distrust, and faithlessness. 
 
Then there is the road that contains temptations that lure you into compromising situations with supposedly “free” offers, great deals, and slick sales techniques that promise you the perfect and healthy body, elimination of wrinkles, removal of whatever ails you, and questionable dating games that promise the perfect soulmate. This road is a magnet for the shallowness of secularism, including beauty and riches. It will eventually lead to disappointment and unfulfillment. 
 
Each of these roads contains a list of endless counterfeits and jagged conclusions that will cause us to digress from our Godly purpose.
 
The road that directs us to real life contains a pasture where the Divine Shepherd welcomes us with His eternal one-of-a-kind love. We are His lump of created clay (humankind) and are so valuable to Him that He sent His only Son to overcome our sin. 
 
Since He designed us, no one knows us as He does. Therefore, we were each given unique gifts and talents that would equip us to reflect a Godly purpose in this three-dimensional world. 
 
Sadly, many of God’s objects of affection have chosen roads that produce few rewards of truth and life. They feed our emotions, alienate us from the light, and make us vulnerable to the darkness of this world. 
 
Let us remember that the “Good Shepherd’s” greatest desire is to establish a relationship with humanity and to bring mankind under His graceful and merciful care. (John 10:11;14) We should strive to walk on the road that leads to God’s Divine purpose and carry the mark of Jesus in whom rests eternal life.
 
God’s glorious road is filled with adventure! It includes grace, mercy, eternal love, forgiveness, healing, freedom, and the abundant life. 
(John 10:10; Romans 5:17) (Matthew 7:14) Wisdom says choose this road for your life journey!