Act with Jesus (2)
'Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres' (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV).
Read these verse again, slowly. Forget the heard-it-a-billion-times thoughts. Read with fresh eyes. This is how God wants us to show his love to one another. How does it apply to us, though? Love is patient, but we're not always patient; love is kind, but often we act or speak before thinking and end up acting unkindly; love doesn't envy or boast, but we do this far too often.
God knows that we fall short. But he's given us 1 Corinthians 13, the perfect picture of love, to show that he is love. He is all of those things in the passage. Only his power can bring our lives in line with this list. When we're impatient, he is patiently waiting for us to turn to him. When we're unkind, it's God's kindness and grace that softens our hearts.
So what now? Don't get caught up trying to be perfect - that just leads to frustration, comparison and general unhappiness. Read something that Jesus did from a Gospel today, then focus on thanking him for being who he is. Pray for his power to make you more like him.
— SCRIPTURE —
'Love is patient, love is kind.' 1 Corinthians 13:4 NIV
— SOULFOOD —
2 Chr 32-34, Mark 7:14-23, Ps 119:105-112, Pro 21:28-31
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