True Love Isn't ... Lust

The first step to identifying true love is to see what true love isn’t:

True love is not the same as lust. Love and lust are often confused in our culture. In fact, many of today’s movies, popular songs, and novels about love are really about lust. How can you tell the difference? Love gives; lust takes. Love values; lust uses. Love endures; lust subsides. Luke may be a little confused between the two. He enjoys being close to Traci because she awakens his pleasurable sexual urges and feelings. He does nice things for Traci at least in part because he thinks it will make her more willing to share the physical closeness and intimacy that he enjoys. And his lust nearly caused him to compromise his sexual purity and hers.

Yes, physical attraction is often the spark that eventually ignites into true love. God designed us with the desire and capacity for sexual intimacy. But if your interaction with someone of the opposite sex is based on intense sexual feelings and physical gratification, lust may be playing the role of love in the relationship.