...Love as Christ loves...

“4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.

I have witnessed marriages all over the world, and without a doubt, brides and grooms love this text more than any other Bible text for their wedding. And who can blame them! This is a powerful and simple commentary on true love. We all hope we surround ourselves with people who love this way!

Patience and kindness will heal more relationships than anything else, and Paul puts these two kinds of love at the top of his list! What a difference it makes to show other people in your life — great kindness — and to be patient all the time!

I love the next description — envy. Love does not envy! This means that there is no room for jealousy or resentment in marriage or in friendships. Let the others in your life be the persons God created them to be! Don’t be bitter and don’t act out of spite, especially when they sin against you. Someone once told me that “envy is the green-eyed monster” in relationships. She told me that “everyone has to learn to let go of grudges! Don’t hang on to them!”

And love does not dishonor the people we know and love. Stay away from disgracing the people in your life. Don’t shame others, and don’t humiliate others, or degrade others. And don’t always try to be right about everything. Stay away from degrading others, or from debasing them, or making them feel cheapened in any way.

I have learned over my lifetime to try not to put myself first. That is self-seeking! And we all have to let go of our anger, because anger reminds us how unforgiving we are. There is a connection between anger and keeping a record of wrongs. And there is no room for forgiveness if we don’t let go of the wrongdoings of others. Forgive and forget belong together, and whenever you remember a hurt that someone caused in your life, remind yourself that you have forgiven that person. Whenever I remember the pain someone caused me, I just tell God that I have already forgiven them! It’s a good reminder!

And then Paul says this at the end: “Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” This is just another way of describing God’s relationship with each of us! God never likes the evil we do, because He always loves when we stand for the truth. When you love someone, always protect that person, always trust them. Always hope that the people you love will do their best to love you and others.

So keep on loving. Persevere in your love for others!

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner.

Today’s Prayer

Oh Lord, I give You thanks and I honor you

because of your great love for me.

May I love You and others the way You love me.

Teach me to love without any sin.

Help me never to delight in evil,

but to love others in truth!

May I love You by the choices I make,

and may I love others in such a way

that you increased in their lives.

In Your name I pray, Amen.