Love In Action
It’s the last day of 2018, and that usually calls for a cliché reflections on the past year and all the lessons I’ve learned. All the laughter, tears, good time and bad. But through all these lessons and this emotional rollercoaster of a year, I found that one thing remained the same: God. It seemed that my relationship with God was continually on the uphill climb. No matter the hills, and no matter the valleys, He was always by my side and I could not be more thankful for the guidance I received this year.
After a lot of reflection, it was almost obvious that the best way to explain this past year is by explaining 1 Corinthians 13 and how the way I love others has changed. Considering the amount of times I have read this chapter of the Bible and the number of times God has made it unavoidable in my everyday life, I finally feel like I can explain why He has made such an effort to talk with me about LOVE.
Whether you’re a Christian or you’ve ever been to a wedding, you have most likely heard the scripture of 1 Corinthians 13:4-8;
“Love is patient, love is kind…. Love never fails…”
Many of you also know that this past year God has been placing different verses of 1 Corinthians 13 in the most random places for me to see. Whether it be all over social media, a piece of room decor, a lecture, or even lyrics to a song. God has made it obvious that He is trying to teach me something about love and how I can use His love to love others. After reading His Word and an immense amount of self-reflection, I finally deciphered the “Corinthians Code.”
1 Corinthians is known as the “Love Verse” because it sums up everything that is most important to life and one’s spirituality. It tells us how to be towards our fellow humans. It also reveals God’s nature towards every person because "God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them” 1 John 4:16. Ultimately, “love” isn’t just a feelings. The Apostle Paul writes of love in 1 Corinthians 13 as being an action word. It isn’t about how love feels, but how it can be demonstrated in action.
Love IS patient. Love IS kind.
When reading scripture, you often uncover a vast new meaning of the world. When God lives in you, He changes the way you think. I've read through 1 Corinthians 13 almost a dozen times, and each time I uncover a new world of meaning that was completely hidden before. If you were to dissect the simple context of what it means to be kind, you would find that it means much more than kindness alone. It involves providing people with what they need, being honest and dependable, being useful to society, and being a good person in general. Which exemplifies why this “Love Verse” doesn’t simply tell you how to love others, but contains the most important teachings of religion and the most important aspects for living a good life.
Love does not envy. It does not Boast. It is not Proud.
Envy is an aspect of life I struggle with often. Comparison can ruin even the most confident of people. It’s the least productive and most damaging of all sins. But love keeps its distance from envy and doesn't resent the success and blessings of others.
We all know at least one person who seems to only do nice things for others when it makes them look good. And consequently, those who seem to work the hardest at love are actually the ones furthest from it. These people don’t know that love in action can work anonymously. Love is complete in itself and doesn't need to feel superior to anyone in order to feel whole.
The term "proud" isn't used in positive context when it comes to love. It's a feeling of pride or satisfaction of yourself. By saying someone is proud is the same as saying they're arrogant. But love isn't self-focused. It focuses on the needs of others over your own.
Love Never Fails.
God is Love, and Love never fails. It is an active love and God seeks to provide for every human with what they need. One of my favorite sayings is, "when Jesus lives in you, LOVE comes out of you." God is Love. And when you let Him reside in your heart, God/Love will succeed in providing for every single individual creature, human or not.
Final Thoughts
People often use 1 Corinthians 13 as a checklist for how you should accept love from others. But Paul had a much different reason for his explanation of God's Love. If you were to make a list of all the things God/Love is and isn't there is a much deeper interpretation:
Love:
Is Patient
Is Kind
Does Not Envy
Does Not Boast
Is Not Proud
Does Not Dishonor Others
Is Not Self-Seeking
Is Not Easily Angered
Keeps No Record of Wrongs
Does Not Delight in Evil
Rejoices in the Truth
Protects
Trusts
Hopes
Preserves
NEVER FAILS
I see this list as an outline of how I should be loving others. If God's Love is patient and kind. If God's Love is not easily angered and keeps no record of wrongs. If Christ dwells in our hearts through faith and is rooted in love (Ephesians 3:17). Then I should be loving others as God does.
I guess that's what I learned this past year as a whole. To love others as God loves us. It's not about the love in a relationship or your significant other, but the love that God has instilled in each of us in order to provide every being with what they need. If you haven't read through 1 Corinthians 13 I urge you to, and consider the way God has loved you and how you can change the way you love others. God's love is reckless, overwhelming, never-ending and never fails.