What does love look like? What does the Lord want us to know about love? How do I love God and others?
I Corinthians 13 is called “The Love Chapter”.
The apostle Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, brought the gospel to this pagan port city named Corinth. Filled with the worship of many gods, snobbery from social status, sexual immorality and sins of, well, you name it, this man, used of God, brought the beautiful message of the good news of Jesus Christ to this bustling port city. Many were saved. A Christian group (church) was established. But just in a matter of a few years, these same sins had crept back into to some of these same people, these saints.
Sound familiar? Are we having trouble with marriage and sexual immorality in our land? How about social status bias? How about lies and deceit? How about loving other things (gods) and spending time on them rather than loving our Jesus and spending time serving Him and spreading the gospel so that others may have the chance to realize they are sinners and are in need of a Savior, a Rescuer…. Jesus?
So, Paul wrote them a letter, telling them to repent and get back to their first love. He clearly stated how to love others and how to be the kind of person Jesus called them, the body of Christ, to be.
Love. The following is a portion of the love chapter, I Corinthians, chapter 4. Go grab your bible, a pen and a book mark so that you can underline words, and follow along. Yes, underline those attributes that you need to work on. Together, let us zero in on each word Jesus has instructed us to live by and ask for His help.
Love is Patient
Are you known as a patient person? Do you accept or tolerate the daily problems that arise or do you become annoyed, anxious and complaining? What would your family say? How about your co-workers? Do you become moody and hard to be around when things don’t go as you had planned? Are you known to be the “calm one” in the storm? Or are you known to become irritable, insistent or obstinate? Love conquers impatience.
Love is Kind
Placing others before yourself? Thinking of their needs? Reaching out to show you care by an act of kindness? Perhaps making a call or text. How ’bout taking a plate of cookies or pie to your new neighbor or invite them in for a cup of coffee? Send a card to that friend who isn’t well or just lost their loved one. What if we would show more love every day by some little acts of kindness? Could we make a difference in our struggling community today? Of course we can. Write down that person who keeps coming to your mind. Write down that “thing” you could do to brighten someone else’s world this day. The Lord may be prompting you. Love is kind.
Love does not envy
Envy holds grudges. Envy causes distance between two people, or more. Envy causes discontentment. Jealousy and envy place “poor me” first and most important of all. Are you happy for that someone in your family who has been invited to that special something and you did not get an invitation? Or…the raise that your co-worker got but you didn’t? “Why do they have more to spend when I work so hard and such long hours? It isn’t fair!” “What about ME??” Envy cripples friendships and hurts families and marriages. Get rid of it, with God’s help. Love can conquer envy.
Love does not boast
Boastful people like to talk about themselves, their achievements and successes. Pride is their dominant feature and its not easy being around someone like that for long. Sometimes exaggeration is involved to make their story even bigger and better than other’s stories. Often times, though, they have feelings of insecurity. Perhaps they need a friend. Perhaps they need to be noticed and complimented, affirmed. Can you think of someone who falls into this category? Pray for them. Give them affirmation, a hug. Notice them. Perhaps a little kindness shown to them will keep them feeling better about themselves. Love can conquer boasting.
Love is not arrogant
Do you classify people into categories of what you may think aren’t as important or more important as others? As you? Do you have a “superiority” way about you? Are your responses sometimes said in such a way as to belittle someone a little bit by letting them know your answers are better because of education, intelligence, knowledge, experience or beauty? How about your body language? Have you been around a smirky someone who comes off as a “know it all”? Can you think of that overbearing person at the office or on your block who you want to turn and walk the other way when you see them coming? Oh…..let it not be you! Let it not be me! Lord, show me. Love can conquer arrogance.
Love is not rude
Our words lift up and our words tear down. The ability to makes someone’s day can actually come from our words. How blunt are my words? “Was what I just said considered rude? Did I just interrupt someone because what I had to say was more important? I had to be heard? Did I just turn my back on Jack at church to visit with Lisa? Why didn’t I greet Helen like I just did Sharon? What Connor said seemed very impolite, plus he could’ve opened the door for me as it was obvious my hands were full! How rude. Sarah should’ve have thought through what she just said as it was so direct it could have caused Jamie some hurt.” We’ve all been there. We’ve all wished we could’ve have taken back what we just said. Lord, help my words to be full of love, not full of rude quips. Love can conquer rudeness.
Love does not insist on its own way
The act of showing I seem better than others because my way is the only way. Self-centeredness; self-indulgence; not considering the thoughts and ways of others because it just has to be my way which is best. And if I don’t get my way? Well, the world notices! Self-absorbed is not the way the Lord wants his children to act. We were made for relationship with Him and with others. A dictator quickly becomes one who has no friends unless there is something for them in the relationship. Rulers become lonely very quickly. Loves conquers that attitude of “my way is best.”
Love is not irratible
Moody, moody, moody. Always negative. Always complaining. Is that you? Once in a while someone is just not feeling well. Perhaps they are in physical pain. We can be understanding in this respect. The “cup-half empty” attitude gets tiresome in a hurry. Many times I have caught myself saying something negative, critical about someone or something. Oh, Lord, help me to watch my words and actions! Love conquers irritability.
Love is not resentful
Have you ever been treated unfairly? Did you hold onto a resentful attitude towards that person? I know I have. “What he did was wrong and I should not have been treated in that manner. It was awful; humiliating in front of others and he got away with it! So unfair!” After a time I realized I started becoming bitter and unforgiving. Through God’s word and good council I realized that situation was causing me harm. I came to the realization that I cannot control another person but I can control me, through the Holy Spirit’s help. I had to forgive him and let it go. Forgiveness is the key to opening the door to freedom and liberty in one’s life–to moving on and not staying stuck. Love conquers resentment.
Love does not rejoice at evil
It does not find malicious pleasure in the report that they have done wrong. Wicked people often find pleasure in watching others fall into sin and then get caught. Do you know someone who is just waiting to watch another fall? Oh let it not be you. Let it not be me. Oh, Lord. Let us be examples of love! Love always conquers evil.
Love rejoices with the truth
Truth wins every time. Lies, misinformation, twisting of the truth to get the information to look like truth doesn’t last too long. According to the Word of God, the lies will be exposed, sooner or later. Funny how that works. God wins! Let our truth be 100% truth, not 90%, not 97%, not 99%, but 100% honesty. No little white lies. Truth is just that! No “my truth” or “your truth”–that is opinion. Stay honest and we will not get ourselves into trouble. We rejoice with truth. Love rejoices with the truth.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things
Now that is what I call Hope-filled any way we turn. That’s the way to live out our Christian life–the Spirit-filled life! Loves rejoices in this!
Love NEVER Ends
Those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior have fallen into the arms of God’s love. We have hope for our future in which we hold onto when our world looks, at times, very bleak.
The Lord Jesus is going to return one of these days. We have hope it will be soon, yet no one knows the time or the hour. But Jehovah El Emeth (the God of truth) does not lie. Then, in eternity with God, we will experience never-ending love.
If you have not surrendered your life to Jesus Christ, I urge you to do it today. The following will take you step by step into Salvation with God. He is the best Valentine of all.
Be intentional about it. Purpose to get together with loved ones and friends. Purpose to call and text, to reach out and show others you care for them.
“So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” I Cor 13:13
Be the Valentine!
