| Love is Patient and Kind |
Love Is Patient and Kind
Love suffers long and is kind.
— 1 Corinthians 13:4
Can you imagine the world we would live in if people operated by the
principle that says, "Don't look out for your own needs and interests, but
for the needs of others"? Yet we live in a culture that tells us to forget
about others and to look out for number-one. But we should remember
that God's love is patient. And as the body of Christ, the love we have
should be patient.
Another way to translate the phrase, "Love suffers long" from 1
Corinthians 13 is "Love is long-tempered." This common New
Testament term is used almost exclusively in speaking of being patient
with people rather than being patient with circumstances or events.
Love's patience is the ability to be inconvenienced again and again.
The last words of Stephen, the first martyr of the church, were those of
patient forgiveness: "Lord, do not charge them with this sin" (Acts 7:60).
As he was dying, he prayed for his murderers rather than for himself.
This is the same kind of love Jesus spoke of that turns the other cheek.
It is the kind of love that has as its primary concern not its own welfare,
but the welfare of others.
And love is kind. Just as patience will take anything from others,
kindness will give anything to others. To be kind means to be useful,
serving, and gracious. It is active goodwill. Love not only feels
generous; it is generous. Love not only desires the welfare of others;
love works for it.
However, if you wait for this emotion to come, you may never
experience kindness. Remember, love is active. Love is kind. So just
be kind, even if you don't feel kind.
That's what God's love is: patient and kind.
Love suffers long and is kind.
— 1 Corinthians 13:4
Can you imagine the world we would live in if people operated by the
principle that says, "Don't look out for your own needs and interests, but
for the needs of others"? Yet we live in a culture that tells us to forget
about others and to look out for number-one. But we should remember
that God's love is patient. And as the body of Christ, the love we have
should be patient.
Another way to translate the phrase, "Love suffers long" from 1
Corinthians 13 is "Love is long-tempered." This common New
Testament term is used almost exclusively in speaking of being patient
with people rather than being patient with circumstances or events.
Love's patience is the ability to be inconvenienced again and again.
The last words of Stephen, the first martyr of the church, were those of
patient forgiveness: "Lord, do not charge them with this sin" (Acts 7:60).
As he was dying, he prayed for his murderers rather than for himself.
This is the same kind of love Jesus spoke of that turns the other cheek.
It is the kind of love that has as its primary concern not its own welfare,
but the welfare of others.
And love is kind. Just as patience will take anything from others,
kindness will give anything to others. To be kind means to be useful,
serving, and gracious. It is active goodwill. Love not only feels
generous; it is generous. Love not only desires the welfare of others;
love works for it.
However, if you wait for this emotion to come, you may never
experience kindness. Remember, love is active. Love is kind. So just
be kind, even if you don't feel kind.
That's what God's love is: patient and kind.
| C4W Devotions are used by permission from Harvest Ministries with Greg Laurie P.O. Box 4000 Riverside , CA 92514 |