As our fairy tales remind us, true love is a powerful force. It’s indescribable to know someone still chooses us despite our many flaws and shortcomings. And the depth of this love inspires us to be a better man. At the same time, this love is not just about us; it’s a love story for others as well.
Of course, there’s great delight when we’re in the center of a love story – to experience the relentless pursuit of another and the joy of discovering how to live naked and without shame in each other’s presence. And when we think of romance we tend to consider the ways this love fills us up personally and the mutual gladness we get to share. But our happiness is not the sole purpose of our love story. It’s also a story for others.
Certainly, this is true whenever kids are born as a result of our union of love. Our love story becomes part of their origin story – influencing their way in life for better or worse. But this is also true to varying degrees regardless of our relational status. Our story might tell the redeeming power of love to neighbors, coworkers, and strangers we might never meet.
This is not to minimize its meaning for us personally. But it is a reminder that we’re participating in a story larger than ourselves, and this includes our stories of romance and love.
We risk making an idol of our happiness when we assume our story is just about us.
In the end, take great delight in all the many ways love brightens your day and makes your heart smile. And remember this story of love is not just for you personally, but also serves as a witness to the larger story God is telling.
Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash
