Love’s characteristics

Love’s characteristics

S-1Cor13

4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

O- Paul’s definition of love, and therefore God‘s definition of love is the only one that counts. Now this verse is not the definition of love, as much as the characteristics of God‘s love. God‘s love is kind, and is not jealous.  He does not need to brag for he created the entire world, he is not arrogant because he can do all things, he does not act unbecomingly because he is the king of kings, he does not seek his own, all things are his to give. He is not provoked, and has infinite grace for those that wrong Him. He celebrates when his truth’s are proclaimed, his love has born the weight of our sin, and yet still believes in and has hope in us. He endures our child like behaviors.

A-Application for me, as a believer and follower of Jesus Christ, is to every day try and be more and more like Christ. That means I must learn to love like Jesus loves. I will know how I am doing by the characteristics of my own actions.  If faced with having to wait I will know I’ve loved well when I can do so patiently. If while I am being required to be patient I am not unkind or jealous in my actions or thoughts, I will know I am loving well. I will know I am loving well when I don’t feel the need to boast in my accomplishments or falsely have confidence beyond my ability. I will know I am loving well when I am not seeking my own glorification, but God’s glory. I will know I am loving well when even though I’m provoked to take action in response to someone’s wrongdoing, I take no action. I know I am loving well when I see unrighteous  things happen to my enemies, and I don’t internally celebrate, but instead proclaim and celebrate the Gods truth.  I will know I am loving well when there is evidence that I am able to bear all things that are not from God, believe all things that are from God and put my hope in him completely, so that I might endure all the circumstances that I am placed in, and still glorify God.

P-Dear heavenly father, thank you for your love, and showing me what true love is. Lord my prayer today is that you would continue to do a good work in me, transforming my heart and my mind and my soul to be more like Jesus each and every day. Lord I pray that you would heal the scars and wounds from my own sins, and past hurts that are preventing me from loving others like you do. I pray all of this in Jesus Christ name amen.