It makes relationships work…

Love is alive when it is secure, when it has the strength and foundation of security, it's dying when it starts doubting, (why did they do this or that?), and it's dead when it stops trusting (trust is the center point of a relationship).

I Corinthians 13:4 (NIV), "Love does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud." 

Behind those three words – envy, boast, and proud – you can write "that equals insecurity". 

The reason I envy is because I'm insecure – maybe somebody has something better than what I have.  The reason I boast or I'm prideful is because of insecurity in my own life.  Security is one of the number one issues in relationships.  It's what makes relationships work.  I have to build into my life a new kind of security if I'm going to strengthen a relationship. 

If you take any relationship and you add just a little bit of insecurity, you can make it very unhealthy.  You might ask yourself, "What am I doing to add insecurity to the relationship?"  Maybe you're hiding something from a spouse.  Add some security and be honest. 

What are you doing to add insecurity with a child?  Maybe you're disciplining them in different ways in different circumstances. 

What are you doing to add insecurity with a parent, an older parent that you haven't called for three or four years?  What difference might it make for you to say to somebody today, "No matter what happens, no matter how ill you become, no matter what we have to go through in life, no matter what the struggles or difficulties, no matter what happens, I love you." 

GOD says that to us.  "No matter what happens", HE says to us, "I love you".  We have that security with HIM.  Love is alive when it's secure. 

Just a thought from the front porch…