Verse of the Day 11/5
1 Corinthians 13:4-5 Love is kind and patient,
never jealous, boastful,
proud, or 5 rude.
Love isn't selfish
or quick tempered.
It doesn't keep a record
of wrongs that others do. Contemporary English Version (CEV)
Today's verses came up in a devotional that I read this morning. They are familiar to most of us and come from "the love" chapter of 1 Corinthians 13. The focus of the devotional was not on the being patient and kind, but rather the last point mentioned, love doesn't "keep a record of wrongs". Read through these two verses again. Does something jump out at you after considering that?
Verse 4 begins with a statement that love is kind and patient. These are easy to identify and are very broad in their scope. They encompass many other traits, characteristics and virtues that we should possess and put into action in our lives. These are the only things here that are mentioned about what love "is". Now, take a look at what it says about what love is not. Count them. There are seven very specific things that love is not. Seven is often a number of completeness in the Bible. While there are more attributes that could probably be brought up, there should be no need to go beyond these.
Love is not:
- Jealous
- Boastful
- Proud
- Rude
- Selfish
- Quick Tempered
- Doesn't keep a record of wrongs.
I don't think that this last one was just thrown in to fill out the necessary quota of 7 things to be complete. In our relationships, this is a very important thing for us to remember. We are not to keep a running list of "wrongs" that have been done to or against us by others. This includes spouses, kids, parents, friends, co-workers and other relationships. Keeping these lists of wrongs will prevent us from being patient and kind and limit our ability to love someone else to the fullest.
Read the passage below. May we have this kind of love. Remember what love is but also remember what love is not.
-- In Christ, Mike Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace. NIV
1 Corinthians 13:1-8 English Standard Version (ESV)
The Way of Love
13 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned,[a] but have not love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;[b] 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never ends.
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