Love, what a powerful word.
It can either make you or break you, no in-betweens.
So what does it feel like to overflow with love?
I didn't grow up rich, but my family was blessed enough by God to be able to live in a decent neighborhood.
One night, I was with my siblings around Malate, Manila. We were looking for a place to eat. I insisted that we walk so we can see and experience Manila late at night since I don't experience this kind of thing very often.
It was midnight, it was dark but the streets were still busy. And as we were walking, I couldn't help but roam my eyes around the road.
I couldn't believe it – Was I seeing the real world? What's this? I don't live in an executive village but this is completely different from where I grew up.
I mean, I knew things like this happen. In the movies! Or at least I was aware that this happens SOMETIMES in real life.
With every step I took, I felt like I was sinking.
Women standing on the side of the roads, waiting for customers. Some are outside bars, waving at taxi drivers.
Foreigners choose which young woman they want to take for the night.
Teenage boys ask for money while high. Hands are shaking and eyes barely blinking.
Moms with month-old babies, laying on the cement ground without bonnets and covers. Inhaling all the vehicle smoke and dust on the streets, without any mask or protection on.
Old people sleeping on the side of the roads. Looks like they grew old from the hard life.
Street vendors eat on the ground, staying up 24/7 to have more sales.
My eyes were watering as I was asking the Lord while walking. "Lord, bakit ganito?" My voice was shaking when I uttered those words.
I don't know if I was overreacting, but it was too much for me. I couldn't take it, I couldn't look. I never saw anything like this in my 22 years of existence.
Again, my family and I are far from rich. This is not about money or status. It's just that, I don't go to this part of the world often, it was my first time seeing this.
I gathered all the courage in my body and tried to stop myself from crying and continued walking.
But what really broke my heart was a family sleeping on the stairs of a bank. Every step was a family member. Dad, mom, and siblings.
One of the kids was awake, a young boy doing his homework under the light post.
I couldn't take it anymore, tears started to fall from my eyes. My heart was shattered into pieces.
But instead of praying for the people, my initial reaction was to ask God. I asked Him "Why". That's all I can utter under my mask as I was walking, crying.
Did I overflow with love? Because my heart broke for them. Or did I just overflow with emotions? Because instead of interceding and praying for them as I walked past them, I just asked God why this was happening to all the people.
We should never misunderstand overflowing with love as overflowing with emotions.
Do you see how it was all about ME?
I cried. I was hurt, MY heart broke, New for ME, I'm shocked.
All self-centered. I thought I was crying because I am overflowing with love for the people. Well, a big part of me of course does care about the people. But as I am writing this article, turns out I was crying because I can't accept why this was happening in real life. After all, I didn't know.
When love overflows you do something because you can't contain the love inside you. Overflow means you are filled to the point where you give easily with no second thoughts.
I gave money, but it's not about that. I can do so much more than that. I should've prayed for them as I pass them by, I shouldn't have asked God why but instead I should have declared blessing over them as I passed by them.
I only prayed when I got home and when I could cry again.
You see how easy it is to misinterpret overflowing with love and overflowing emotions especially if you are at the height of it.
When you overflow with love, your initial reaction will always be a response to love. Nothing else.
But when you overflow with emotions, your response will always revolve around feelings.
Love doesn't have to be extreme emotions, love doesn't have to be crying and questioning. Love can be praying in silence and declaring blessing to them between you and the Lord.
It doesn't have to be money or a grand gesture, it can be a simple act of kindness.
Love is not self-centered and doesn't concentrate only on how you feel. Love cares for others like how Jesus did.
This experience reminded me that love is so much more than just how this world defines it. I hope it does the same for you.
I hope that when there are times when we forget about love, may we be reminded that the best example of love is God alone.
How He loved us, how He redeemed us even when no one deserves it, how He sustains us, how gracious He is towards us. I know you are thinking about the times that make you remember how loved you are by God. That's love.