LOVE IS…

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. —I Corinthians 13:4-7

Love:

· is patient, but impatience is unloving
· is kind, but cruelty is unloving
· is not jealous, but is trusting
· is not boastful, but is reserved
· is not proud, but is humble
· is not rude, but is polite
· is not demanding of its own way, but looks out for the interest of others
· is not irritable, but is easygoing
· is not keeping records of being wronged, but is forgiving
· is not rejoicing about injustice, but about justice
· is rejoicing whenever the truth wins out, but not when lies do
· is never giving up, but is persistent
· is never losing faith, but is assured
· is always hopeful, but is never hopeless
· is enduring through every circumstance, but it does not give up

Jesus replied, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments. —Matthew 22:37-40

“But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church. Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much.” I Corinthians 8:1-2).

Love has to be the foundation of our lives- love for God and love for people. If you and I do anything that does not come from the motivation of love then it amounts to nothing (I Corinthians 13:3). You and I could be involved in serving the Lord with our giftedness, but if we are not serving out of love we are nothing (I Corinthians 13:2). You and I could be wonderful speakers, but it is only noise if it is not coming from the foundation of love.

May I Thessalonians 3:12 be our prayer:

Dear Lord God Almighty, please make my love increase and overflow for the saints and for the lost just as Paul and his companions’ love overflowed for the Thessalonians. May it be so in the authority of Jesus and by the Holy Spirit’s power.