I was watching Oprah the other night and the show was about sexual abuse and how the victims mistake attention and manipulation from there abuser as love. If you look up the word manipulation in the dictionary it states: “exerting shrewd or devious influence especially for one's own advantage.” This meaning is so far away from the meaning of what love is.
The bible I believe has a great meaning of what love should be. The actual verse is: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
So therefore you would think if someone is manipulated they should hold no shame or guilt. But that is easier said than done. Many people want to be loved so much they are willing to be manipulated or there idea of what love is has been so distorted they do not truly understand the meaning of love. Therefore I believe they continue down a path of destruction and they miss out on the true meaning of love.
At least for myself I have hope and feel that love is obtainable for anyone. I don’t believe achieving love is an easy task or at times challenging. But I do believe everyone has a choice each day to be truly loved and to truly love someone else. I think if more people strived towards this goal that others would truly see what love is meant to be.
