THE LOVER

The sound of violins play, the sun shines down brightly on the gathered crowd, and then the doors open and a beautiful bride begins the walk down the flower strewn and grassy aisle.

For the groom time has stopped, no one else matters, and his eyes are locked on the woman walking towards him with a smile on her face and tears in her eyes.

These two people are in love and it’s the most natural thing in the world because…

We were made to be Lovers.

We were made to love God AND we were made to love one another.

We were made to desire connection and relationship. To find meaning in seeking the joy and well being of others as much as of ourselves. We were designed for relationship and we’re incomplete without it.

It turns out love does matter after all and not just in some whimsical or ephemeral way, but truly at a foundational human level.

This is part 3 of 3 wise letters where I share with you a 3 part framework for seeing yourself.

It’s a framework I have begun to use for motivation and clarification in my everyday, ever changing life and now you can too.

I’ve found that by identifying the various parts of me, I am better able to know which hat to put on and which role to play in each scene of life.

I recently sat down and recorded 30 minutes of content on this very topic on the podcast. You can listen to that here: Apple, Spotify, YouTube.

Part Three: The Lover

Who You Are:

You are a Lover.

In the very first chapters of the book of Genesis, the first book in the Bible, we see that God created us in His image and placed us in a garden paradise.

Everything was ideally set up for a loving relationship between God and his creation.

We were created with a free will and the ability to either choose relationship with God or to choose another path and reject it.

Likewise in those early chapters at the beginning of the world, Genesis records that even in this perfect setting for relationship with God, God Himself said that it was not good for man to be alone… The first woman was created by God and the first marriage occurred…

I say all this to say, that you were designed to be a lover, a lover of God and a lover of people.

It’s in your DNA, your heart, your mind, your spirit.

This love is meant for our spouses, our children, our family, our friends, our communities, our nation and ultimately God Himself…

How You Should Live:

According to the U.S. Surgeon General, loneliness is as damaging to our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day!

It can feel like love isn’t as real and urgent as being a Warrior King who protects and provides.

Sometimes we even put our urge to create as Poet Priests before relationships, but this is a fools bargain.

So how should you live as a Lover?

I’d say;

Planning:

Regular times in your life to make memories and experience moments. We don’t have a guarantee how many we’ll get this side of eternity.

Learning:

The skill of being not easily offended and the skill of forgiveness when you are.

I don’t think most of us want to eliminate good relationships from our lives, but quarreling, offense, and un-forgiveness do it for us.

Investing:

Time and resource into enjoying the act of giving and receiving love. Flowers aren’t wasteful, neither is a dinner together, a night away, a special party or a handwritten card… These are outward expressions of an inward design.

You need to give and receive love; so do those around you. When things are as they should, it’s a beautiful circle that never has to end.

In a sense love is a perpetual motion machine.

Welcome to the ride, be brave enough to climb aboard!

You’ve subscribed to these weekly wise letters, now continue the journey with my weekly podcast Can I Ask You A Question!

Each week we’re exploring questions and unlocking wisdom through solo episodes with myself or deep dive interviews with the most interesting people in my life.

I’d be honored if you would subscribe today wherever you listen to podcasts. Apple, Spotify, YouTube

See you next Thursday!

Geno Schmelzer,