Lessons in Love

Love’s Patience: Yesterday afternoon we went to Ipswich to watch the young people of ‘Co-op Juniors’ performing Les Misérables. They did an excellent job telling the well known story of poverty, justice, loyalty, honour, redemption, and above all love.

The show ends with Marius and Cossette’s wedding. Both have come through troubles and trials; both have had shattered dreams and come close to death, but the strength and patient endurance of their love finally brings them together.

Love’s Practice: In Rob Burrow’s autobiography the professional rugby player describes his love for his wife Lindsey and their children, his diagnosis with Motor Neurone Disease in 2020, and Lindsey’s practical care for him as he became increasingly disabled.  

She writes: ‘When Rob was diagnosed with MND, love was being the best carer to Rob I could possibly be… Rob might think I’m Superwoman, but when you love and care about someone, your priority is to make them happy, whatever the circumstances.’  

Love’s Process: My Christian faith describes a God who is love, and Jesus who models love, teaches about love, and dies as a supreme demonstration of patient and practical love. St Paul describes love’s ongoing process:

‘ Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone… And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.’

Love’s Purpose: At the end of Les Misérables Jean Valjean is dying. He’s loved Cosette and Marius, saved their lives, lived out love’s patience, practice and process. He sings his final words:

Take my hand
I’ll lead you to salvation
Take my love
For love is everlasting
And remember
The truth that once was spoken
To love another person
Is to see the face of God.

I’m musing on this God, whose imprint of love is on the people around me… that as I learn to love them I see God’s face.