1 Corinthians 13:3-7
If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.
Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.
Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
The quote for this date in my desktop flip calendar came from the late Gilda Radner… “I base my fashion taste on what doesn’t itch.” I like that… and I would add, “…or cinch me too tightly, creep or crawl!” The truth is that our lives are filled with “itchy, scratchy, creeping, crawly, too-tight situations”… and not just in our fashions! The only “garment” that will always fit is the “robe” of love in Christ Jesus. This is the “full armor of God” – but it is never too heavy or uncomfortable. Jesus’ love is easy to wear… and “one size fits all.”
Our pastor reminded us again yesterday that there is at least one broken heart on every pew. You may think you have problems… but wait until you hear the next guy’s! No one is immune to struggles and challenges. I have been asking God to reveal Himself to me and answer several questions… and this scripture popped up on my outline. In a word…God’s answer seems to be… “Love.” I’m not talking “pie-in-the-sky-let’s-just-love-everybody-and-all-will-be-well” love. I’m talking 1 Corinthians 13 love. And there is a difference.
In this passage, Paul isn’t telling us that a “peace-and-love-mumu-type-love” from the 1970s will make everything okay. He is saying that the love of Christ is our “one-size-fits-all” garment… because this love has many facets. The love Paul speaks of is patient, kind, calm and enduring. So when you are struggling in a relationship with another person – friend, family member, co-worker, classmate or teacher, significant other, or even a fellow believer… remember to put on your “love robe.” When you have challenges of any kind, don’t forget to put on your “raincoat” of kind, humble, self-less, trusting, optimistic, persistent love. Even though others give up on you and your relationship... God never gives up. He keeps on loving… and so should we.
This does not mean that we allow others to walk over us… or that we look the other way when there is injustice or disobedience. But we are called to handle every situation with the love of Christ. Sure… there will be times when you are angry, frustrated, insulted, and deeply wounded. You may be the person on the pew with a broken heart! But the love of Christ is what will sustain you… and you must never stop extending that love to others. I’ve talked to God a lot lately about how hard this is… how I often find it difficult to be a loving disciple when what I really want to do is yell, kick and scream! And each time, I hear Him saying… “Now you know how I feel most of the time!” And I am truly humbled.
I feel so shrouded in the protective love of God… covered by the “robe” of Jesus’ grace, mercy, kindness and forgiveness. I know that God has a closet full of “robes” that He wants to distribute to others… and we are the vehicle for this circulation. How are you doing? Are you fully operating in 1 Corinthians 13 love? Does the love of Christ fit you like a silken, flowing robe that never binds, creeps, crawls or itches? What are you wearing these days? Do you need to make a “wardrobe change?”
©2013 Debbie Robus
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