Eric Benet's "Real Love"

Secondborn and I listened to Eric Benet’s “Real Love” over, and over again last night while baking cookies. The melody is so beautiful, and the words are profound. The song speaks of a relationship that stands the tests of life and whirlwind of changes. I looked up whirlwind and my favorite definition stated a whirlwind being a confused rush or a violent, destructive force. When a relationship is still standing after experiencing a confused rush of violent and destructive tests and trials, I believe it has proven to be a relationship of real love. Real love isn’t conditional love or a selfish love, but a love that you’ve wanted to walk away from, yet stood strong. Real love is forgiveness instead of allowing anger to give birth to bitterness. Real love is looking beyond faults and recognizing the face of the enemy. Real love is...love in spite of.

I’ve faced my share of destructive tests in my marriage and I’m not sure I show real love – not yet. Real love doesn’t just happen over the years, but it’s the violent whirlwinds which produce real love. It’s the destructive tests which show us what real love is made of. It shows us what we’re made of – OUCH! I’m positive I have a few more whirlwinds to go through. Marriage, in itself, is a whirlwind – a confusing rush of tests. God allows these destructive tests in marriage to reveal our lack of real love and to meet real love. We all experience real love…God’s love, which is probably the only real love on Earth. The best we can do is strive to show that same love to others as God has shown to us – that’s real love. For your listening enjoyment, I’ve placed Eric Benet’s, Real Love, below. Make sure you think about your significant other and not Eric Benet, and have a marvelous Monday!