970) Love is universal, and yet, I have seen, read, experienced and felt what I thought was love for many people or ideas and found I was wrong. Hollywood has also contributed to producing inferior and/or incorrect notions of what love is. I’m not sure I can unravel these ideas of what love truly is, but I know that I cannot genuinely love someone (or something) I don’t know. In fact, doing so is dangerous.

Paul knew this as he spoke with the people of Athens. He said in Acts 17:23 that he could not understand how these people, who worshipped multiple gods, could also worship “the unknown god.” He asks them how they can worship a god they were “ignorant” of.

As I read these words, even though I have a relationship with the God of all the universe and the “Word” of God (his son, Jesus), I am challenged also with the idea that the more I get to know God and his Word, the easier it is to have a genuine love for him. This love also produces godly living.

Are you trying to love someone that you really don’t know all that well? Get to know God and the love will then flow.