Perfect Love

Was preparing for Bible study and came across a poem I could appreciate. It was based on 1 John 4:18, expressing poignantly the possibilities we face when we choose to love.

The risk of love
is that of being unreturned.
For if I love too deep,
too hard, too long
and you love little
or you love me not at all
then is my treasure given,
gone,
flown away lonely.

But if you give me back
passion for passion,
return my burning,
add your own
dark fire to flame my heart
then is love perfect
hot, round, augmented,
whole, endless, infinite,
and it is fear

that flies.

-Luci Shaw

1 John 4:18

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

The perfect love that drives out fear. Can imperfect humans have perfect love? Are we capable of perfect love? Oh yes we can!

1 John 4:17
Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgement; because as He is, so are we in this world.

We can love because...

1 John 4:16
..we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.