Have you attended a wedding and heard this:
"For better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health"?
What the minister is asking is will the person persevere?
In the continuing discussion of what defines whether a relationship is based on love we read, "it always perseveres".
Love has been compared to pearls. Why pearls? One reason is naturally occurring pearls are beautiful and rare and NOT perfect. It was born out of a tiny irritation that with time and perseverance was covered up over and over and over, to the end that the irritant became a thing of beauty to adorn the wearer.
Love is no fleeting emotion. It's enduring. It's being the stronghold for our partner when they need a rest and them returning the favor when we can't find the strength to go on. Love is understanding that humans become overwhelmed and the person we lash out against is sadly too often the person we love the most and hoping they will love us even in our ugly moments enough to accept our sincere apology and promise to be better next time. Love is built on the rock-solid foundation of friendship first and never ceases to grow. Expanding to the point of overflowing. Love is seeking the highest good, no matter what adversity befalls.
Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud, it does not dishonor, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it does not keep a record of wrongs, it does not delight in evil but it does rejoice with truth, it always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
This is the face of true love. Even though we are fallible humans we should still be able to look into the face of the person we love and they into ours and see each one of these markers shining like a light.
Only one marker remains in our discussion.
Love never fails.
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