Loving the World?

If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. --John 15:19

I have asked men and women alike who have fallen in lust with a perfect face and body, “How much are you willing to pay for sex?” Often they act surprised, but I know they are just in lust with a person, not in love. They overlook all the lacking qualities of character in favor of hoped for fulfillment of fleshly desire, which is too bad, since a fleshly person will beat the love right out of a mate. Of the men and women that I disciple, those who married just because of fleshly attraction have less sex than anyone else. It seems that after marriage the “beautiful” mate must prove that he has something more to offer than sex and withdraws. When the honeymoon is over, the true lack of character of the person is revealed, and in time, the love “felt” is beaten out of the mate. Why say all of this? Because I want to make an analogy about the world! It looks good, but marry it, and it will beat the love held for it right out of a person. I was once asked, “If drugs were legal and free, could I take all I wanted to and be happy?” The answer was, “No, you could not. The world does not work that way. Once it gets you, it will abuse you and will, in time, beat the desire you had for it right out of you.” That is why drug users eventually become suicidal. One fellow asked, “If it were legal, I would have several wives, or at least several affairs to fulfill my sex desire.” Well, many have done just that and come to pieces. They did not come to pieces because the behavior was illegal, but because man is made in the image of God, and to act in a manner not supported by God is unnatural.The world is a vicious lover, but once it has you, it will not let go easily, and all the while it will continue to hammer the love you have for it out of you. In this way, God does not fight the world but uses it.