The world is buzzing over what had happened between Will Smith and Chris Rock at the Academy Awards. For those that may have been under a rock or even just disinterested with the drama, Chris Rock had made a joke directed at Will Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett. By the looks on Jada’s face she didn’t think it was funny and it was obvious that her husband didn’t either because he got up from his seat and went up onto the stage to slap Chris Rock. As if that wasn’t enough, when he had taken his seat again he continued to interrupt the show by yelling expletives during a live television broadcast. Later, Smith won his first Oscar and during his acceptance speech, seemingly in an effort to justify what he had done he said “Love will make you do crazy things.” Do you think this is the truth? Certainly from his perspective it is but how does it look to others far removed from the situation.

First, lets look at what the bible says about love. The most famous scripture about love says this:

Love is large and incredibly patient. Love is gentle and consistently kind to all. It refuses to be jealous when blessing comes to someone else. Love does not brag about one’s achievements nor inflate its own importance. Love does not traffic in shame and disrespect, nor selfishly seek its own honor. Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offense. Love joyfully celebrates honesty and finds no delight in what is wrong. Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others. Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up. Love never stops loving. It extends beyond the gift of prophecy, which eventually fades away. It is more enduring than tongues, which will one day fall silent. Love remains long after words of knowledge are forgotten. Our present knowledge and our prophecies are but partial, but when love’s perfection arrives, the partial will fade away.

(1 Corinthians 13:4-8 TPT)

I used the Passion translation for effect, not accuracy. This scripture goes into what biblical love is and is not. Love is patient, kind, gentle, safe and enduring. Love is not jealous, selfish, disrespectful and fickle. I don’t see any indication of any type of biblical love being the catalyst that caused Will Smith to that extreme public display of inability to control his emotions.

It seems to me this was driven by what the world would classify as love. I wonder who would admit that they have thought about a spouse or loved one “If you really loved me you would….insert selfish want here” Television and romance novels are some kind of “how-to” guide to love in all its forms. If they are not showing you that romance and love are all about yachts and trips and roses on the television show “The Bachelor” they are suggesting that if you truly loved someone you would give up your family, friends, career and seemingly your self-respect in trade for the passionate love of your life. Love doesn’t just roll over and say “That’s okay, whatever you want, I will be your doormat.” Somehow being in control of your emotions has become a bad thing and even if you disagree with someone. Definitely demonstrated by Will Smith, he obviously didn’t agree with what Chris Rock said and his actions showed disrespect and selfishness. Not only disrespect to Chris Rock but to the audience, the Academy and certainly I would imagine that his wife is embarrassed by his behavior.

You may or may not agree with me and that is okay. I respect you enough to understand that everyone has different thoughts, circumstances, and perspectives. I take great care to try to take the emotions out of the situation before I react to it. The bible says “be angry and sin not.” Meaning that it is okay to have emotions but don’t let them cause long term damage to the people you know because you reacted too quickly. When my son played hockey the coach had a “24 hour rule” meaning if you had a complaint, sleep on it and come back when you are thinking clearly. Great rules to live by. I wonder in the light of day if Will Smith might wish he had done things differently.

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:8 NIV) In this scripture we see that love protects it doesn’t expose. I know that my ego has driven me to expose the flaws of the people that I love the most to justify my own position from time to time. In comparison to the biblical definition of love, I KNOW that I have some work to do and maybe you do too. Perhaps we can take that journey together.