Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.In these verses we see Paul reveal the qualities that make Biblical, other centered, sacrificial love the supreme motivation that should drive how we exercise the spiritual gifts that God has given us. When Paul states that love is patient, the word patient literally means to bear up under provocation without complaint. A Biblical other centered love is long suffering in its dealings with those around us.
When Paul states that love is kind, he is revealing for us the reality that Biblical love is positively gracious and generous as it serves others. Instead of rivaling for position or recognition; instead of wanting what others have or not wanting others to have what they do have, this other centered love focuses on reflecting Christ’s grace and generosity to others.
When Paul states that love does not brag and is not arrogant, he is explaining that a Biblical other centered love does not have an exaggerated self concept that results in one being full of themselves and in one taking pride in their own accomplishments.
Paul then explains that love does not act unbecomingly. In other words, Biblical love does not behave disgracefully or dishonorably with poor manners. In addition, Biblical love does not seek its own; it does not seek one’s own advantage or benefit by being insensitive and careless to others.
Biblical love, Paul explains is not easily irritated or provoked into sudden outbursts of anger. When Paul states that love does not take into account a wrong suffered, he is painting a word picture of a scorecard. Paul’s point here is that love does not keep a scorecard as to keep track of all the times that one has been offended.
Paul then continues by stating that love does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices in the truth. What Paul is communicating to us in this phrase is that Biblical love motivates followers of Jesus to be excited about the truth of the Christian life and to rejoice in what is good, proper, and right when it comes to how we relate to God and one another.
Paul then concludes his description of the characteristics that make Biblical, other centered, sacrificial love the supreme motivation that should drive the exercising of our spiritual gifting by stating that love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. To bear all things means to protect and guard others from exposure to harm.
When Paul uses the phrase believe all things, he is reveal that Biblical love has no suspicion or cynicism. To hope all things, for Paul, involves having a positive outlook on the future, regardless of our current circumstances.
Paul then concludes by explaining that Biblical love endures all things. In other words, this other centered sacrificial love is not fickle, but instead holds on and remains faithful.
So do these characteristics of love mark the love that you exercise and express? Are these the characteristic that mark your motivation for using the spiritual gifts or talents that God has given you?
But not only are we to live out our gifting by giving God’s love because God’s love is superior in its quality. Tomorrow, we will see Paul reveal a second reason why we are to live out our gifting by giving God’s love.
No comments:
Post a Comment