What's love got to do... got to do with it?

Love..... seems to be a theme, a topic of discussion and always thrown into my face lately. How we love people, if we are to love people the way Jesus loves them. Honestly it's something I have always struggeled with. I have been burned by a lot of people in my life..... who hasn't. But has made me grow cold and to keep people at a safe distance, i've gotten really good at allowing people to think they know who I am, with out acutally letting them see the deeper side of me. Being energitic and always having a smile on my face is how I naturally am, but it gives me an advantage because no one ever asked the smiling girl how she's doing, or if they do they never question when i reply with, "GREAT". Don't get me wrong i love smiling and i love being energetic and living ever day that i can get up our of bed to the fullest, it's amazing, but it also keeps people at a safe distance.
So back to love..... if we say we love God but hate our brother then we are liars..... OUCH! then comes the question again of how we should love others. For the last three years i have loves a lot of my Tri-delta sisters at a safe distance..... I have not been very relational with a lot of them for various reasons..... and most of those reasons are my own selfishness. and simply because I don't want to get hurt. Jesus gave been this vision or idea the other day and I don't know if i can explain it well or not but i will try..... He pretty much told me to get nitty and griddy and elbow deep in my sister's lives..... that loving them is being relational with them.... and putting myself out on the line...... allowing them to see me for who I am, Jesus made me who I am so why should i be affraid of how people will react? and he gave me another wack in the head to know that not if... but WHEN i get hurt by them, becuase they are HUMAN and the will naturally disapoint me and hurt me as I will them, HE will be faithful to cure all stings, and to wash away all scratches and heal all bruses to leave my heart and their's soft and tender. SO.... what's love go to do with it??? The answer is EVERYTHING!!! If we have a little heart ache in our lives it's becuase we've loved a little, and if we've loved a little it means we've lived a little!