Hmmm...this is a tough one for me. I am a firm believer in LOVE. I feel like it is what makes the world go round...but in being loving, we put ourselves out there- we are vulnerable...and when we are vulnerable, we open ourselves up and can end up delving into a beautiful relationship with another human being, or we can end up very hurt.
The Bible is very clear on what love is and what it is not. Love is patient and kind, keeps no record of wrongs, rejoices in truth, always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. It does not boast, isn't proud, isn't rude, or self-seeking. It is not easily angered, and keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil. Being as straight-forward as all that is, I will be the first to admit that I am not always good at LOVING- this action that I feel is so important in life.
I especially struggle with the "always trusts and always hopes" and sometimes the "keeps no record of wrongs." That struggle I have with those things stems from my heart being hurt in the past and not wanting to feel that pain again. But, what a viscious circle! I love, get hurt, am afraid to really love, and this could end up causing another person pain through my lack of love. My inability to be completely loving stems from being hurt myself. It affects the way I love. It reminds me of a saying my grandma would always say, "Hurt people, hurt people." It is not the intention always, but it is a reality.
So, throw in the "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." Ahhhh....if only I would have learned this lesson early on in life. So, willing and eager to give my heart and be loving, I did not realize how important it was to protect that same heart. It is a lesson I hope to pass down to my daughters, for sure, and anyone else who will listen. (Including myself at times!) LOVING people is soooo important. But, equally important is to not just take your heart and hand it to someone! It is important to get to know a person - their motives, their hearts, before you can just decide you are going to be safe with being completely vulnerable and fully opening your heart to them.
I guess as with everything else in life, it would be wonderful if we did not have to worry about heart-ache and how it would affect us down the road in our lives. But we live in an imperfect world and hurt people really do hurt people - and so we have got to balance being loving and guarding our hearts.
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