Love

“Love is patient, and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant…” -1 Corinthians 13:4

As I read this verse, it comes out in an almost mocking tone. “Love is PATIENT and KIND…love does not ENVY…”  It has become one of the most mainstream, cliché verses in the bible. Whether you are a Christian or not, you know this verse. It is used for jewelry, at weddings, and countless other worldly things. This verse almost passes under my eyes when I read through 1Corinthians. As if I’ve heard it enough, and don’t need to be reminded again of what love truly is.

So, I’ll start from the top, the most convicting one out of all of these for me. Love is patient. Being able to wait without becoming annoyed or anxious. I’m not sure if it is the New Yorker in me, but having to wait for people is like pulling out teeth. But, when the tables are turned, I feel so loved when someone is patient with me. God calls us to love, and love is patient.

Love is kind. I like how kind is such a broad word. Kind means attentive; compassionate, sympathetic, understanding…and those are just a few synonyms.

Love does not envy or boast.  Love is not arrogant. The words, “…I love them… but I don’t like them. “, keep clanging in my head. Truly, I like them (or maybe their things) but I don’t love them. I look at them and then I compare it to my own. Maybe in one area I have something nicer, so that’s where my focus goes….WHAT?

I’m seeing how warped my view of love is. It seems to me like Paul gave a pretty good definition in this verse, I’ve had it my whole life, but now I’m seeing how important it is to live by this.

“Jesus is patient and kind; He does not envy or boast; he is not arrogant”

Today I will pray for the Lord to give me a deeper understanding of love. I will try to love the people I’m surrounded by with patience, and kindness, without envying or boasting and without arrogance.