Why Love is Never Enough

As children, Walt Disney filled our heads with tales of Prince Charming riding along on his horse to scoop us off into the sunset. As teenagers, we waited for those three words "I love you", knowing that once we heard them, all would be right with our world. But when Prince Charming suddenly turned into a frog, and "I love you" didn't seem to be enough anymore, we came to realize that a relationship is about more than loving someone.

The reason that love is never enough is quite simple. None of us know how to love perfectly. Perfect love is described in the Bible in 1 Corinthians 13: 1 Corinthians 13: 4 - 7

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

It sounds wonderful, and we ache to love and be loved that way. But we are imperfect creatures incapable of loving perfectly. Because of this, we cannot just rely on the fact that someone loves us.

Brenda knew that Matt loved her. They 5 years ago, and there was an immediate attraction. Matt was attentive, loving, and generous. Brenda soon discovered, however, that Matt had a dark side with a temper that resulted in her going to the emergency room on more than one occasion. Afterwards, Matt would cry and beg forgiveness, bring her flowers and return to his sweet self...until his next angry outburst. Despite Brenda's urging for him to get help, he could not bring himself to follow through. Their love story ended in divorce, despite the fact that they both truly loved each other.

There are other elements besides love that are essential in a relationship: respect, honesty, and trust. Love without these elements is sure to result in a failed relationship. This is a lesson that parents need to instill in their teenagers. When your teenager vows undying love for someone, ask him or her some questions. Do you treat each other with respect? Do you trust each other? Are you honest with each other? This will help to open their eyes to the fact that love is not the only important element in a relationship.