Love is Imperfect

So here is the truth: Valentine’s Day brings out a lot of emotions, some joy, some pain, and some apathy. Often, it provides an opportunity for husbands, wives, girlfriends, boyfriends, grandmas, and grandpas to express their love for one another. But is a 24-hour period enough time to portray this message? Does it mean more on a specific day? Is it a punctilious occasion?

To me, one day doesn’t cut it for these actions and words. It must occur over a lifetime. The way I look at it, and experience it for that matter, the only perfected love is that of the God of Heaven, His Son beside Him, and the Holy Spirit among us. My love is far from perfect. More aptly put, it is “imperfect,” so to speak.

Consider this grammar study of Greek verbs:

Within the Greek verb system is a tense known as the imperfect. It signifies a continuous or progressive action in the past, viewed as it was still unfolding, as if you were standing close to a parade as it went by and watching it unfold before your eyes. Although English doesn’t have an imperfect tense in quite the same way, I like to think that the imperfect can still apply to my language and actions as a husband.

This is how I view my love for my wife, Elisabeth, as “imperfect.” It is a progression, unfolding before our eyes. I am not perfect, nor do I claim to be, and neither is the love that I display to Elisabeth. But looking at it in this light helps me realize that love is not only an action, but an unfolding one, occurring and progressing over several months, years, and most likely decades.

This thinking helps me to be patient and learn the many intricacies and needs within our relationship. It is freeing in a way.

So instead of simply saying I love you, as though love were something declared in a single moment, wake up every day and tell that special person, “I am loving you,” to convey the action and progression of your “imperfect” love.

Does it sound funny? Yes.

Will it fix all the problems that exist? Probably not.

Will it change the way you look at and think about your love?

Absolutely.