Real, true love is a beautiful thing. Unfortunately, love can be coupled with other counterfeit objectives. Most of us have likely been the target of some of these. In fact, some of us may admit that we have used these combinations on others.

What else can be coupled with love? Let’s look at some of them.

 Love and obligation:   You claim to love your brother but do not respect for him. He is your sibling. You have the same parents. You grew up with him. However, in truth, you feel obliged to love him.  

Love and pity: You know people who never achieved what you had expected of them. In your eyes they were a failure. You just know they are miserable; they deserve to be miserable.  You call it love but it is really pity; rather like your feelings for a mongrel dog.  

Love and popularity:  You seem to love everybody and you tell them that you do. Should they fail to acknowledge your love, you are quick to remind them of it. Love should not be given to gain popularity.    

Love and manipulation: You tell someone you love them to breakdown their resistance to your control. A football coach disingenuously claims he loves his players but really seeks to control their emotions to win ballgames.  

Love and money:  If money is your objective, then those who control access to money become targets for your love. The target could be your rich uncle, your employer or an elderly neighbor.  

Love and respect: It is not possible to truly love another person without also respecting them. These two sentiments are inseparable. You can’t have one without the other.  If you don’t first respect another person, can your love be real and true?

All of us should question ourselves as to our motives before telling another that we love them.

Personal Note: Those seeking to better understand getting and giving love will find a collection of eighteen original essays on Love and Respect in my book “Now That I Think About It”. Available on my website www.authorbillramsey.com or from Amazon.