11 differences between love and lust.
"Being replaced and discarded is the opposite of being loved. We want to be loved, not used, not played with," writes Christopher West.
And lust does just that: uses, and often, later, throws away. "You don't love me, you don't want me; you only want what I can give you," notes the person before the lustful one. And he asks himself, "I am replaceable, when will you abandon me for someone else, someone who will give you more pleasure, more services?"
We could integrate in a table the differences between love and lust... which can help many who are unaware of the former, and believe that only the latter exists.
These are eleven differences between love and lust:
1. Lust seeks to satisfy oneself. Love seeks to give oneself totally to the other ("To love is to give everything and to give oneself", said Therese of Lisieux).
2. Lust treats others as objects to be used. Love affirms others as persons to be served.
3. For Lust, one will sacrifice others for self-interest. Love is serving, the one who loves sacrifices himself for others.
4. Lust manipulates, it is used to control the other. Love wants to respect the freedom of the other.
5. Lust enslaves. Love frees us.
6. Lust is not exclusive; it is given to almost anyone. Love is exclusive: it wants only the beloved.
7. Lust sees the body as a "thing". Love respects the body as a "somebody".
8. Lust snatches pleasure, which will always be quite fleeting. Love desires eternal happiness.
9. Lust is soon filled with envy. Love always hopes, and always trusts.
10. Lust ends when pleasure ends. Love endures through in good and bad.
11. Lust makes us feel used. Love makes us feel valued.
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