To truly love goes beyond what you or I are capable of.
The Importance of Love
Love is the most fundamental and important attribute of God and the most important thing for us to both understand and to practice. 1 John 4:8 and 16 say that "God is love." Jesus came and died for us because "God so loved the world" (John 3:16). We know what love is because of God's love for us when Jesus died for us (1 John 3:16). The two greatest commandments are about love - Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind; Love your neighbor as yourself (Matt 22:37-39).
This passage on love is one of the most revealing and detailed descriptions about love but surprisingly it is written by Paul in response to wrong attitudes of the Corinthian believers about the use of spiritual gifts. His first two statements directly warn against using the gift of tongues and the gifts of prophecy and faith in wrong ways - specifically without love. In other words, if the gifts are used for one's one glory or benefit rather than for helping others and with others primarily in mind, then the gifts are nothing and we have gained nothing.
Love is WAY more than emotions
As it has been pointed out, love is not primarily about the emotional feelings we might have for someone as movies, tv and Valentines day celebrations would have us think. No, love is primarily about putting another first and before ourselves. It is considering the other person's needs more important than our own and willing to give up our place, our rights, our desires for another - even to the point of giving our lives for them. Jesus said that the greatest love is laying down our life for someone else (John 15:13).
In every relationship we have, whether with family, a spouse, coworkers, neighbors or strangers we meet in passing, love is the attitude we are to have and it should determine the actions we take. Certainly this is not easy because we are selfish to the core - looking out for our own interests. But within us, a hint of God's image remains so that we can be moved to heroic acts of love at time. The key is to be transformed by God so that we can love consistently in the day-to-day.
Love Attributes
The list of attributes that Paul gives about love is very challenging and beyond what we can do without God's help. If I am honest with myself, when I read these descriptions, I am reminded of the many ways and times that I fall short of true love.
Love is patient - it waits for others, even when they are slow, even when they don't understand and they should, even when they cut in front of you or go out of turn - and it doesn't get upset, frustrated or angry when these things are happening!
Love is kind - it acts gently with others, looking for good actions to take, good gifts to give even when the other person doesn't deserve it and is acting unkindly to us.
Love does not envy - because love wants the best for others. Love is able to be happy and rejoice when someone else gets the raise, and not you, when you are looked over or when someone else gets a bigger or better gift or even when you get or have nothing.
Love does not boast - because it wants to build others up and not itself, constantly wanting to encourage and help others, even to the neglect of ourselves.
Love is not arrogant - it never looks down on others, nor despises the weak, nor considers itself great or better than others. Even when those around are weaker, love feels the hurt and the weakness for the others and loves, supports and carries them.
Love is not rude - it always considers the needs of those around and seeks to strengthen, bless, encourage and lead them by example and by self-sacrifice into life, freedom and joy in Christ Jesus. We become rude when we are focused on ourselves, our fears our needs as opposed to others. So love listens to others, even when they are speaking for a long time. It doesn't cut them off or silence them.
Love does not insist on its own way - it will give up its right and even its better idea and plan. It doesn't get frustrated when someone else changes the plan or wants to do something different, but in love, defers to the needs and desires of others.
Love is not irritable or easily angered - it doesn't get irritated by the actions of others. When we feel ourselves being irritated, it is because others are infringing on what we view as our right or changing our expectation. The focus is on ourselves and not the needs of those around us, even when the others are wrong or even trying to be irritating.
Love is not resentful, does not keep a record of wrong - it forgives and forgets the wrongs against it. Jesus was able to forgive even in the middle of being crucified. We usually remember the things done against us, especially when they keep happening again. We then resent the actions of others. Love lets go of the list.
Love does not rejoice in wrongdoing - even when the wrong is being done to those we feel "deserve" it.
Love rejoices with the truth - when truth is declared it is happy, even when the truth exposes our sins and shortcomings.
Love bears all things and always protects - Love is able to withstand the attacks, challenges to authority, without giving in or giving up. Those who belong to it are under love's protection. Similar to a mother bear defending cubs, love will protect to the death those that it loves.
Love believes all things, always trusts - which is difficult when we become jaded. Entrusting our lives completely to God who is faithful is difficult, and trusting people who fail us, is even harder.
Love hopes all things, always hopes - wanting to see the best for people and looking for God's work and hand in other's lives as opposed to giving up on a "lost cause".
Love endures all things, always perseveres - and keeps loving, even when the road is long, the change in others and ourselves is slow, the persecution and wrongs mount up.
Love never ends or fails - we fail, we give in, we get short tempered, we get frustrated and we give up. Love on the other hand keeps loving.
This list of love attributes is both humbling and challenging! I dare say that if we could live like this, there wouldn't be war or emotional pain, our relationships would be transformed and we and those around us would be amazingly happy and blessed. Alas, we cannot do these things without God's help.
Lord Jesus, change me by your Holy Spirit to love as you love, to give of myself completely as you did, and to serve others not looking for glory or gain for myself. Let my life be a living sacrifice to you and bring glory to your name!
The Importance of Love
Love is the most fundamental and important attribute of God and the most important thing for us to both understand and to practice. 1 John 4:8 and 16 say that "God is love." Jesus came and died for us because "God so loved the world" (John 3:16). We know what love is because of God's love for us when Jesus died for us (1 John 3:16). The two greatest commandments are about love - Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind; Love your neighbor as yourself (Matt 22:37-39).
Love is WAY more than emotions
As it has been pointed out, love is not primarily about the emotional feelings we might have for someone as movies, tv and Valentines day celebrations would have us think. No, love is primarily about putting another first and before ourselves. It is considering the other person's needs more important than our own and willing to give up our place, our rights, our desires for another - even to the point of giving our lives for them. Jesus said that the greatest love is laying down our life for someone else (John 15:13).
In every relationship we have, whether with family, a spouse, coworkers, neighbors or strangers we meet in passing, love is the attitude we are to have and it should determine the actions we take. Certainly this is not easy because we are selfish to the core - looking out for our own interests. But within us, a hint of God's image remains so that we can be moved to heroic acts of love at time. The key is to be transformed by God so that we can love consistently in the day-to-day.
Love Attributes
The list of attributes that Paul gives about love is very challenging and beyond what we can do without God's help. If I am honest with myself, when I read these descriptions, I am reminded of the many ways and times that I fall short of true love.
Love is patient - it waits for others, even when they are slow, even when they don't understand and they should, even when they cut in front of you or go out of turn - and it doesn't get upset, frustrated or angry when these things are happening!
Love is kind - it acts gently with others, looking for good actions to take, good gifts to give even when the other person doesn't deserve it and is acting unkindly to us.
Love does not envy - because love wants the best for others. Love is able to be happy and rejoice when someone else gets the raise, and not you, when you are looked over or when someone else gets a bigger or better gift or even when you get or have nothing.
Love does not boast - because it wants to build others up and not itself, constantly wanting to encourage and help others, even to the neglect of ourselves.
Love is not arrogant - it never looks down on others, nor despises the weak, nor considers itself great or better than others. Even when those around are weaker, love feels the hurt and the weakness for the others and loves, supports and carries them.
Love is not rude - it always considers the needs of those around and seeks to strengthen, bless, encourage and lead them by example and by self-sacrifice into life, freedom and joy in Christ Jesus. We become rude when we are focused on ourselves, our fears our needs as opposed to others. So love listens to others, even when they are speaking for a long time. It doesn't cut them off or silence them.
Love does not insist on its own way - it will give up its right and even its better idea and plan. It doesn't get frustrated when someone else changes the plan or wants to do something different, but in love, defers to the needs and desires of others.
Love is not irritable or easily angered - it doesn't get irritated by the actions of others. When we feel ourselves being irritated, it is because others are infringing on what we view as our right or changing our expectation. The focus is on ourselves and not the needs of those around us, even when the others are wrong or even trying to be irritating.
Love is not resentful, does not keep a record of wrong - it forgives and forgets the wrongs against it. Jesus was able to forgive even in the middle of being crucified. We usually remember the things done against us, especially when they keep happening again. We then resent the actions of others. Love lets go of the list.
Love does not rejoice in wrongdoing - even when the wrong is being done to those we feel "deserve" it.
Love rejoices with the truth - when truth is declared it is happy, even when the truth exposes our sins and shortcomings.
Love bears all things and always protects - Love is able to withstand the attacks, challenges to authority, without giving in or giving up. Those who belong to it are under love's protection. Similar to a mother bear defending cubs, love will protect to the death those that it loves.
Love believes all things, always trusts - which is difficult when we become jaded. Entrusting our lives completely to God who is faithful is difficult, and trusting people who fail us, is even harder.
Love hopes all things, always hopes - wanting to see the best for people and looking for God's work and hand in other's lives as opposed to giving up on a "lost cause".
Love endures all things, always perseveres - and keeps loving, even when the road is long, the change in others and ourselves is slow, the persecution and wrongs mount up.
Love never ends or fails - we fail, we give in, we get short tempered, we get frustrated and we give up. Love on the other hand keeps loving.
This list of love attributes is both humbling and challenging! I dare say that if we could live like this, there wouldn't be war or emotional pain, our relationships would be transformed and we and those around us would be amazingly happy and blessed. Alas, we cannot do these things without God's help.
Lord Jesus, change me by your Holy Spirit to love as you love, to give of myself completely as you did, and to serve others not looking for glory or gain for myself. Let my life be a living sacrifice to you and bring glory to your name!
Love from God and loving God and others can overcome all kinds of fears and make us joyful. Having faith in Lord Jesus is important, for we can get saved. But adding to the faith with goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love (2 Peter 1: 5-7) can make us grow mature in Christ's body. It is difficult and challenging for me to have all these attributes of love, especially being patient, not self-seeking, not insisting on my own way, always trusting, and always persevering. This is why I need God's help. Lord Jesus, please help me to keep these attributes of love in my heart and mind, and live a life filled with them.
ReplyDeleteThere is famous Korean song named "Love is~" the Lyrics of song is from 1 corinthians 13.
ReplyDeleteI remember that song and I loved it even before I go to church (15years ago) and I didn't even know that song is from Bible at that time.
I was feeling peace from the verses about the character of Love.
I agree there will be no war/ pains when we live based on the attributes of love.
I really want to live like that and I am praying for it