More of What Matters Knows Love is Not Blind

Seated at my desk, I watch these very words appear on my computer screen. I love to write. But the words don’t magically appear by osmosis. Part of my more of what matters knows love is not blind. If it were, you wouldn’t be reading this. Those who cater to the old adage “love is blind” underestimate what love really is. Love is a choice from a heart that is stirred. Accompanied by fitting action.

Sounds splendidly righteous, doesn’t it? Yet, it only is with the One who is Love.¹

If you and I are not attuned to Holy Spirit, it can all go downhill in a hurry. You see, there are varying ideas of what constitutes ‘love’. How it’s perceived by one can get smacked right in the pitoosky by someone else’s definition of ‘love’. But what to do when we’re supposed to love? Ah, I fear we live in a world that has mastered the art of pretense. None of us have been immune in our lifetime.

I’ve watched, yea verily, I’ve been a participant in the “love is blind” option enough times in my life that it’s quite familiar. The principle behind it, though initially built on being open and welcoming, has been diluted with the steady flow of questioning, “what’s in it for me?” Since that comes across as less than the way we want to be viewed, we poke our eyes out and call it ‘blind love’.

Which simply leaves us blind to the consequences of un-growth in our attempts to be magnanimous in our ‘love’. No one (I witness loudly to this from personal experience) ever grew strong and true by others’ excusing them or looking the other way under the guise of “love is blind.” That kind of ‘love’ leaves gaping holes the enemy loves to exploit.

Over many years I’ve learned that more of what matters knows love is not blind. It doesn’t make life simpler, that’s for sure. What it does make it is a playing field for victory and overcoming the very things that make us want to put on blinders where people and circumstances are concerned. Real love chooses to see what’s what. Without pretense.

It doesn’t end there. It becomes the beginning of answering the question, “What am I going to do with what’s what?”

Instead of “what’s in it for me?” it moves us, if we will, to the deeper, higher question: “God, what is this worth?”

Seen from His perspective its worth is eternal.

out of the mouths of dementia

My father passed away this past October. The only daughter of three that moved away from our hometown when I married, I got to spend a valued eight days with him, my mother, and some of my family while he was still alive. I happen to believe that the Lord gives and allows what He knows will serve His best purpose when and where we are.

If we still think love is blind, I challenge us to think again. Love¹ is not blind. He is aware of everything concerning us.

If you’ve been around one in dementia, you’re acquainted with the fact that anything might pop out of their mouth at any time. Confusion often surfaces. So do statements of clarity from someplace deep within. Out of the mouths of babes in childhood 1.0 and out of the mouths of dementia in the 2.0 version. The last thing my father said to my mother was “I love you”. Doesn’t get any better than that. After 70 years of history, that was healing for her to hear.

The last thing my father said to me (in a gruff, spittin’ nails kind of way) was, “Nancy! Quit stirring the pot!” Oooh.

I’d be pulling a “love is blind” if I said it didn’t land with a hurtful thud. On the other hand, it didn’t sound like him; I heard someone else in his intense words. The reality is, he went Home. The other reality is, the rest of us remain.

Though at times I still wish my father had said some things to me years earlier, I’ve grown older and wiser. Enough so that my heavenly Father’s words carry the healing weight for all that was not spoken and that which was. We’re in constant dialogue – some days sorting, some days deciphering, some days listening. And these days, more of choosing love from a stirred heart, with fitting action. Like the One who sees what’s what and loves appropriately, not blindly.

I continue to process what was, what is, and what it’s worth. With the eternal in view like the plumb line it is. It’s what keeps me grounded. It sends my roots deeper into the One who grows me strong and true, even as He continues to invite me to “come up higher.”² He always extends a ready invitation to you, too. If you will.

More of what matters knows love is not blind. Real love goes deep, including to the places we’d rather turn a blind eye. Real love reaches high for what is true, without pretense. And in between, we live on this earth as spiritual beings having a human experience.

Here’s to becoming un-blinded by the Light as we enter a new year. May what you see in the Light be glorious!

Meanwhile, you will likely find me still stirring the pot … ♥

~ Gracefully Free  

¹ I John 4:8
² Revelation 4:1

You can read more in the More of What Matters Series │Photo by Kristopher Roller on Unsplash