Christian Living
Sometimes as Christians we talk about love as something we expect to receive from others. But can you imagine if every Christian thought about themselves giving love every time 1 Corinthians 13 flashes through their mind? I believe Christianity will be more truly defined…
How do you love?
Love is one gift God gave to us in abundance (Romans 5:5), meaning also that we have the capacity to express it. We did nothing to earn God’s love, in fact, we were undeserving of God’s love yet He gave it to us liberally. God loved us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8). God is love, God lives in us and so we can love as God loves (1 John 4: 8 &16).
One way to express love is to give; anyone who says they love must give. God exemplified true love in John 3:16…..
“Yes, God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him would not be lost but have eternal life.”
John 3:16 ERV
Can you imagine the magnitude of God’s gift? How do you give up your only Son in order to save others?
Thank God for His love. It is because of His precious gift that you and I can confidently say we are God’s sons. Halleluyah!
When we read 1 Corinthians 13:3, it suggests to us that giving may not always means love….
‘And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.’ I Corinthians 13:3 NKJV
In Matthew 5:23-24, Jesus ranks forgiveness higher than offering gifts to God…..
“Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”
Matthew 5:23-24 NKJV
This means you cannot say you love God and yet hate your brother (1 John 4:20).
So another expression of love is forgiveness.
So How Do You Love?
Aside from Giving and Forgiving, how else do we love?
First Corinthians 13:4-7 describes what love truly means for us…
“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” I Corinthians 13:4-7
Love Suffers Long……Is Kind……Bears All Things…..Endures All Things….
Are you quick to abandon a wrecking ship without offering any help? Do you have very little or no tolerance for unpleasant experiences or situations? Do you think you are struggling with showing longsuffering?
Kindness is motivated from within and is focused on doing what is right to others, according to God’s Word. Do you struggle with showing kindness? Do you struggle with expressing empathy or sympathy to others?Love is kind.?
Are you impatient? Do you often hear yourself saying ….‘I can’t take this anymore‘ in unpleasant situations. Are you quick to disengage from discomforts?
Love Does Not Envy, …Does Not Parade Itself….. Is Not Not Puffed Up…
Do you feel resentment at someone else’s achievement, possession, or qualities? Do you sometimes think you’re best suited for certain things except that perhaps the other person is more fortunate? Would you sometimes feel better if you were recognized as contributing to these achievements, possessions or qualities? (happens!). Worst still, do you quickly arrange and project your own achievements, possessions and qualities instead of recognizing and rejoicing with the other person? Well these sound more like envy than in love?
Love Does Not Behave Rudely…Is Not Provoked…
Are you impolite and bad-mannered? Are you harsh, brash or abrupt in your dealings with others? Do you get easily enraged, angered and exasperated? This doesn’t sound like 1 Corinthians 13 love to me..?
Love Thinks No Evil…..Does Not Rejoice In Iniquity…
Do you catch yourself sometimes hatching a revenge, thinking of how best to get even at someone, or actually thinking of eliminating someone for a personal gain? Do you feel relieved or sad when something bad happens to someone you considered an enemy? More like…….serves him right! ……..if only he listened to me………. if only he didn’t come up against me……..etc,….etc,… That is not God-kind of love ?
Love Believes All Things, Hopes All Things, Endures All Things...
Do you quickly forget your testimonies and past victories when faced with new challenges? Do your problems cloud your mind so fast that you only seek God’s Word as a last resort? So, how much do you really love God? ?
How do you love?
Grace, God’s Love is tough but liberating and peaceful (I have to remember this).
As I grow in my faith and walk with God, I want to love more, to love just as God loves.
