The phrase “For the love of many will grow cold” appears to be a variation of a biblical passage. The original version is found in the New Testament in the Bible, specifically in the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 24, verse 12 (Matthew 24:12):
“And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.”
This verse is part of a larger passage often referred to as the Olivet Discourse, where Jesus is speaking to his disciples about the signs of the end times. The verse suggests that as lawlessness increases, the love or kindness that people have for one another will diminish.
Interpreting biblical verses can vary. In this context, the verse is often understood as a warning about the moral and spiritual conditions that may prevail in the world as the end times approach. The idea is that, in a time of increased lawlessness or wickedness, people may become more self-centered or indifferent to the welfare of others, leading to a decline in love and compassion.
It’s important to note that interpretations of biblical passages can differ, and individuals or religious communities may have varying perspectives on the meaning of this verse based on their theological beliefs. As for me, I think of this verse in the context of my dealings with people in general, and I can see with my own eyes that the love of many has grown cold. Sometimes I even wonder has my own love grown cold. At times, I do certainly feel more apathetic.
In the context of my dealings with people, I’m taking note that the more narcissistic an individual, the more the love is not there for whoever that individual chooses to target. The targets of many narcissists and narcissistic individuals can attest to the fact that once they are love bombed by such individuals, they take note that the love of these individuals immediately grows cold. In fact, as I look back over my relationships with such individuals, I’ve made the startling discovery that the “love” was merely a facade and wasn’t truly ever there in the first place.
Yet, I don’t actually believe that this scripture even means actual narcissists’ love growing cold. Narcissists have no love; neither do sociopaths and psychopaths. Their “love” is more surface as it lacks the components and depths of empathy, compassion, and deep connections. If anything, I believe the scripture refers to people who have love and that love grows ice cold and hardened over time because of bitterness, resentment and/or unforgiveness. I could be wrong though.
However, based on the state of the world, I’d say there might be some truth to the reference. Even more, based on my own experiences with rooting out bitterness, resentment, and unforgiveness from my own heart, I think it’s very possibly for love to become increasingly cold. This is my struggle as I attempt to maintain peace in the face of narcissistic abuse at work. It’s often hard to separate a narcissistic individual from their behavior without sometimes holding onto an offense against them.
I think it’s easy to grow hardened when dealing with narcissistic abuse. I also think it’s easy to lose sight of the love when I often feel so much hatred from others directed towards me. It makes it hard to determine the feelings of love and want to return love back to anyone. I often feel so guarded that I no longer trust anyone. Although I think it’s imperative to be safe and not put my trust into the hands of someone looking to manipulate me, I also think it’s imperative not to lose sight that there are still genuinely safe people around me. It’s just not always so easy to find them.
My Voice Unchained 