There is a vulnerability in both the giving and receiving of love. Openness is required. Trust is needed. The benefit of giving and receiving love is acceptance, relationship and growth. “Love never fails,” though it may be spurned, rejected or ridiculed. Love is its own success and is its own reward. Loving has its pain of loving and greater pain of rejection. The pain does not make it not love but marks it out for what it is.
“Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a (NASB)
