Love

DEVOTION

1 CORINTHIANS

LOVE

1 Cor 13:1-8

1          If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not 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 have not love, I am nothing.

3          If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not 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 is not rude, 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. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

(NIV)

There is no other way but to internalize this in the first person, so here is how I see it.

Love is Patient:          I am not going to get upset with you, but rather I am going to be patient with you because I love you and I want to forgive you.

Love is kind:              I am not going to ignore your need, but rather I am going to be kind to you because I love you and I want to help you.

Love does not envy:  I do not envy you because of your possessions or your spiritual gifts or your position in the body because I love you and I want you to have the best.

Love does not boast: I am not going to boast about my possessions or achievements or about my place in the body because I love you and want to hear about yours.

Love is not proud:     I am not going to be proud and think that I am better then you because I love you and want to put you ahead of me.

Love is not rude:       I am not going to be rude to you by being insensitive to your feelings because I love you and I care about your feelings.

Love is not self-seeking:        I am not going to be self-seeking in our relationship because I love you and I want to meet your needs.

Love is not easily angered:   I am not going to get upset and become easily angered by you or by something you do or don’t do because I love you and I want to overlook those anything like that.

Love keeps no record of wrongs:    I am not going to keep a record of your wrongs that I can bring up again later should you mention one of mine because I love you and love covers a multitude of sins.

Love does not delight in evil:            I am not going to join in with others if I hear them talking about something you may have done wrong, but because I love you I am going to protect your honor and defend you.

Love trusts:    I am not going to think badly about you or not trust or believe in you because I love you and I trust you.

Love hopes:    I am not going to be discouraged or disappointed, if you fail either God or me because I love you and I will have hope.

Love perseveres:        I am not going to let anything interfere with our relationship because I love you and this love will persevere.

Love never fails:        I will always love you!

Rich