Single and Happy: Finding Your Love Life Every Day

What is Love?

"The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep"

John 10:11

Jesus compared His love with a good shepherd.

I find it hard to picture how intimate is the love of a shepherd to his sheep. I haven't seen a sheep in my life. I tried to see my love for our dog, Motchie, but when I read Jesus' words "I will lay down my life for the sheep," I cannot see the point of dying for my dog. He even bit me once. It's hard to picture it out in that sense, so instead I tried to picture a person whom I am willing to lay down my life for.

It is in loving someone so much that we start to understand the love of God in us. Let us see, let's get personal.

I fell in love with someone.

She was my officemate. Before, I always make sure to take a glimpse at her every time I visit their floor. There were also times when I made excuses to my supervisor just to see her. There was something inside me that pushes me to go and to talk with her.

After many days of doing my secret sulyap (glimpse), I had the courage to step on to the next level, I chatted with her. It was a success!

After our virtual communication, I felt that it's not enough. I needed to be closer to her. So, I asked her out. Again, success!

After that, still something inside me was pushing me to be closer to her, it was as if friendship is not enough. So, I started to send her letters to express my feelings.

In that moment, I understood that love cannot bear distance.

Love desires closeness.

This is how God the Father loves us. He sent His love letter through His prophets, then He himself went down through Jesus Christ, so we can see Him, hear Him, and touch Him. Then He went inside of us through the Holy Spirit, so He can be the closest person in us, closer than we are to ourselves.

Love cannot bear distance, it desires closeness.

As I became closer with her, I get to know her more. I learned more of how beautiful she is inside out. But of course, as human, we all have our shadows, she had hers.

There came a time when I went crazy decrypting the code and signals she implicitly wanted to communicate to me. It's as if she was telling me to read between the lines of her actions and words. It was challenging. Not that I'm generalizing either men or women, but, we guys are simple. If we say yes, it means yes, if we say no it means no; and I'm a programmer, I'm just a simple "if-else-then". Her complexity was so deep that I wanted to ask her directly why she was so up and down. I required an explanation.

But through the wisdom of my friend, I didn't. He told me not to ask for an explanation from a woman, because sometimes they don't understand themselves too!

Indeed, he was right. Take it from a married man.

Love is patient and understanding.

Jesus knows our ups and downs, He knows how stubborn and confused we are. He loves us anyway.

He knows how crazy and lost we are. He loves us anyway.

He is willing to leave the ninety-nine sheep just to find us and bring us back to His arms.

Jesus loves us as how St. Paul described it,

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

To be honest with you, I'm quite a prideful person, you know; that's my number one sin. I always wanted to lead and be heard. I wanted to be acknowledged and be seen by many the way I wanted them to see me. But the moment I learned to love truly was the moment I laid down my pride and allow myself to be led more than leading, to listen more than being listened to, to acknowledge more than being acknowledged, to forgive than to be forgiven, to see more than being seen.

Love breaks pride and all the rest of the sins. Love overcomes everything.

Jesus loved us so much that He overcame even death, just for us to realize it. He died in order for us to live.

The love that I felt for her was a living testimony of God's love today. You too, I know you have experienced how to love someone.

Imagine that person you love so much, your desire to be with them, your sacrifice for them, and your conversion because of them.

Now, try to imagine each person that you know, with different characteristics, needs, and ways they wanted to be loved. Can you love them all?

The human love we experience here in this world is just a fraction of God's greater love to each one of us.

Beloved. This is how Jesus is calling me, you, and all of us.

"You are my beloved."

We can ask Him, "Do you love me that much Lord?"

He will surely say, "Yes."

"No one takes away my life from me, but I lay it down myself so that you may find yours in me."

Beloved.

Jesus is love.