The Ins and Outs of Love - Thursday February 04, 2016
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NLT
The other day I read this passage and realized that love is about much more than how I treat other people outwardly. Paul's description of love primarily deals with the inward, with my heart motivations. You might say love is one-seventh how I treat other people outwardly and six-sevenths how well I inwardly control my own selfishly-oriented passions. That is very humbling!
"Love is patient and kind." Being patient and kind can be done outwardly. By God's grace, I can do that. I can wait for you or endure with you through a disagreement. I can think of you and do nice things for you. I can speak words of encouragement to you, spend quality time with you, hug you, and serve you.
"Love is not jealous." Now I'm in trouble. This is more of an inward battle. If I'm honest, here begins a list of things that trip me up before I even realize it. I want to be a loving person, but seeking my "own way" is something that happens automatically, without thought or effort. Love means looking inward and controlling parts of me that might not be so visible.
Yes, love looks out, sees people, and acts upon their needs, giving and extending outwardly to others. But now I know that love also looks inward and fights a battle there.
Submitted by:
Kelley Downie
Cedarcreek Community Church
Eau Claire, Wisconsin
One-Year Reading Plan:
Exodus 19:16-21:21
Matthew 23:13-39
Psalms 28:1-9
Proverbs 7:1-5
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