LOVE and AM I LOVING?

Many of us are familiar with the passage from the Bible in I Corinthians 13: 1-8, 13, often called the “Love Passage,” and the “Greatest of These.”

Let’s read the passage from the New International Version:

13 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

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.  8 Love never fails.

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Here is the same passage from the New King James Version:

 13 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 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.

4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  8 Love never fails.

 13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

 Notice that the first paragraph of each version shows us that, no matter how great we might be in any other area of our lives, if we do not have love, our “greatness” is worthless.  Ouch!

 Next, is a list of the attributes of love.  Love is patient…….The New King James Version says “suffers long.” Others use the word longsuffering. What’s that?  Well, it’s the opposite of short-suffering!  It’s willingness to wait.  Take this test: Sit where you are and look at your watch.  Do not move or talk for one minute.  See how long it feels.  Now, imagine being that patient while someone is trying to explain his/her side of a disagreement.  Hmmmmm.  Longsuffering.  I think the word fits.

Here’s another one to ponder: Love is not easily angered or provoked, and does not seek to retaliate.  Another ouch.  And no tit for tat.  Ouch, ouch, ouch.

 Which attributes do I need to work on the most?

COMMUNICATING LOVE

 Here is a little exercise for you to try after reading about love through God’s Eyes in the Scriptures.  Perhaps you may have someone in mind that you can be thinking of while answering the questions.  You may even try completing the exercise with that person!

1.     How best do you express love?

2.     How could you improve?

3.     How best do you feel loved?

4.     How best do you think ______________ expresses love?

5.     Ask him/her.  Were you right?

6.     How best do you think _______________feels loved?

7.     Again, ask him/her.  Were you right?

8.     If you did the exercise with someone, now give that person a turn for questions 1-7.

Prizes for going through the exercise!!!

Tools for Victory in the midst of the struggles of everyday life:

Improving ourselves/how we love; keeping our eyes on others, and being in tune – thankful for how other people do show us love and watchful for how they need love shown to them.

Weapons against the enemy of our souls:

No room for self pity; accepting the love others give us as their form of love-giving; getting our eyes off of ourselves; working on I Cor 13 love.

I pray that this helps you, as it has helped me, to love others the way God wants us to love – the way He loves us.  Until next time, may God bless you!

Teri