Love is.....

“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely; does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” I Corinthians 13:4-7

It seems like God is trying to really teach me something lately. Almost everything I read or hear has something to do with love and what it really is. This last Saturday in our LIFT meeting we talked about what love is and focused on I Corinthians 13 so I was thinking about it even more. I was just talking with a great friend a few days ago and expressing how I have felt like I have had the wrong attitude toward some people, including even family, because of the talents they possess. I have sometimes felt like they were just “showing off”, but I realized that I am the one that has had the wrong attitude. If I really loved them I would be happy for the talents God has given them. In our lesson on Saturday it talked about envy and jealousy. “Jealousy seems to be two-layered. The first layer is superficial. It says, “I want what you have.” The second layer is deep-rooted jealousy that says, “I wish you didn't have it.”” (Key Truths for Women, RBP) I realized what I am feeling toward people when they shared their talents is envy. I am not truly loving them. I should be happy for them and excited that God is using them in that way, not jealous because I don't have that talent.

I Corinthians 13:6 also tells us that love does not delight in evil (iniquity). James 3:16 tells us that being envious is evil. “God's love is saddened when it hears of defeats and tragedies in other people's lives. It is easy to be glad at other people's problems, especially if they make us look better. Christians ought not allow themselves to rejoice in the pitfalls of others”. (KT4W, RBP) Why does it seem so easy to talk about the failures and faults of other believers, but it is harder for us to talk about what they are doing for God, the way they are growing in Him, or using their talents to be a great witness for Him? The Bible tells us that God is love and if someone does not love then they do not know God. If we know God then we will show love to others because His love will be in us. (I John 4:7-8) We should be rejoicing when other believers are walking in the Truth. (3 John 4) “How much of our conversation would be silenced if we never talked about others' failures, faults, or sins?” (KT4W, RBP) Wouldn't it be great to know that others were talking about our accomplishments in Christ rather than our failures? Let's ask God to help us talk about others' accomplishments in Christ rather than their failures.