Thursday, May 28, 2009
Love... does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth
It was unintentional, but it still hurt. The words spoken weren’t meant to be spiteful, but they still struck a cord inside of me. Now the decision point comes. Do I tell this dear one that they hurt me, or do I hold it inside? As a peacemaker, my first choice would be to internalize and never tell this person how their words wounded me. But 1 Corinthians 13:6 says that love “rejoices with the truth.” If I internalized this hurt, I wouldn’t be doing myself, or this loved one any good. I would only be building a wall between me and this person, and causing more trouble in the future.
At times, it’s hard to be truthful with those we love, isn't it? Consider Psalm 15:1-4: “LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman, who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the LORD, who keeps his oath even when it hurts.”
Speaking the truth from the heart can be difficult. It can be painful. It can cause strife. But it can also cause healing.
What do you need to be truthful about today? What has God been saying to you? How can God bring healing to your relationships through love and truthfulness?
I’ll leave you with John 3:20-21: “Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."
Friday, May 8, 2009
Love is... not easily angered
The attributes in 1 Corinthians 13:5 can be really tough to carry out sometimes. The Apostle Paul tells us that love is not easily angered, but how do we live this out?
I have to admit that I’ve already had a few times today when I’ve become angry and resentful. It’s easy for me to hold a grudge when I feel that I’ve been wronged, and harder for me to show the love and graciousness God calls me to.
For me not being angry includes holding my tongue.
Proverbs 29:23 says that “An angry man stirs up dissension and a hot-tempered one commits many sins.” I know I have said many things in a moment of anger, only to regret them later. This verse from Proverbs reminds us that sin often results from anger. Isn’t it true that we often do and say things in a moment of heated argument that we often regret later? As James tells us, the tongue is a dangerous weapon. It is poison in our lives (James 3:8). In moments of anger it hurts deeply… the wounds it causes are hard to repair.
The destruction an angry tongue causes are not products of love. What does love look like then? How does a Christian respond to moments of irritation?
Instead of anger, those who love with the Love of Christ must exhibit patience. Listen to the words of wise King Solomon: “A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense” (Proverbs 19:11).
Sometimes, holding one’s tongue is what love is all about. Sometimes all it takes is a little God given patience to get past those moments of irritation and move one. For love is being patient when those we love the most annoy us the most.
Prayer: Lord, please replace any angry moments in this coming day with patience and love.
I have to admit that I’ve already had a few times today when I’ve become angry and resentful. It’s easy for me to hold a grudge when I feel that I’ve been wronged, and harder for me to show the love and graciousness God calls me to.
For me not being angry includes holding my tongue.
Proverbs 29:23 says that “An angry man stirs up dissension and a hot-tempered one commits many sins.” I know I have said many things in a moment of anger, only to regret them later. This verse from Proverbs reminds us that sin often results from anger. Isn’t it true that we often do and say things in a moment of heated argument that we often regret later? As James tells us, the tongue is a dangerous weapon. It is poison in our lives (James 3:8). In moments of anger it hurts deeply… the wounds it causes are hard to repair.
The destruction an angry tongue causes are not products of love. What does love look like then? How does a Christian respond to moments of irritation?
Instead of anger, those who love with the Love of Christ must exhibit patience. Listen to the words of wise King Solomon: “A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense” (Proverbs 19:11).
Sometimes, holding one’s tongue is what love is all about. Sometimes all it takes is a little God given patience to get past those moments of irritation and move one. For love is being patient when those we love the most annoy us the most.
Prayer: Lord, please replace any angry moments in this coming day with patience and love.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Love... keeps no records of wrongs
Our section of the Love Chapter comes from 1 Corinthians 13:5 today. In this verse Paul tells us that Love “keeps no records of wrongs.” Yikes, this is a tough one! I don’t know if you’re anything like me, but give me a person and I can easily come up with a time, even a decade or two ago, where they hurt me in one way or another. But love means forgiving and forgetting.
Consider the sinful woman in Luke 7 who anoints Jesus feet with oil. Jesus tells the Pharisee named Simon: "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little." (Luke 7:44-47)
Jesus knew of this woman’s past. Yet, he knew that she was truly repenting of everything she had done. And he forgave her.
1 Peter 4:8 says, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” It’s often hard to forgive, especially when the offense was personal. But Jesus forgave. He loved. And more than that, once the sin is forgiven, it’s forgotten as well. As Psalm 103:12, “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”
I won’t admit here that I have a complete handle on forgiveness. It’s extremely hard to forgive sometimes. But it’s something God asks of us anyway. I do know that, if I am going to live a life of love, I can’t keep a record of all the wrong doings in the past. I have to move forward in life, and ask God for the strength to forgive completely.
Prayer: Lord, help me to forgive and even come to love those who have hurt me in the past.
Consider the sinful woman in Luke 7 who anoints Jesus feet with oil. Jesus tells the Pharisee named Simon: "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little." (Luke 7:44-47)
Jesus knew of this woman’s past. Yet, he knew that she was truly repenting of everything she had done. And he forgave her.
1 Peter 4:8 says, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” It’s often hard to forgive, especially when the offense was personal. But Jesus forgave. He loved. And more than that, once the sin is forgiven, it’s forgotten as well. As Psalm 103:12, “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”
I won’t admit here that I have a complete handle on forgiveness. It’s extremely hard to forgive sometimes. But it’s something God asks of us anyway. I do know that, if I am going to live a life of love, I can’t keep a record of all the wrong doings in the past. I have to move forward in life, and ask God for the strength to forgive completely.
Prayer: Lord, help me to forgive and even come to love those who have hurt me in the past.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Lord, Bring the Spring
Back in February I took a trip to the beach. As a child I visited this place quite often, but it had been years since I’d last looked out across these waters. Something was different about this trip though. Instead of warm gusts of wind, I was meant with frigid temperatures and frozen piers. The sight of the beach in the middle of winter was breathtaking. Icicles hung off of reeds of grass, shimmering in the winter light. Around me ice cracked as the sunshine caused it to melt, what a beautiful sight! The crackling ice reminded me of the changing seasons and how God works through the seasons of my own life.
My first close experiences with death happened in college. In the space of a few months I lost two of my grandparents. My family has never quite been the same since. Grief caused pain and rifts that have yet to be completely healed. There was so much pain and doubt during this dark time. I was confused and hurt by everything that was happening. I wondered if my family would ever be happy again. But God was working even then. He was calling me to trust in him that
“What was frozen through is newly purposed
Turning all things green
So it is with You
And how you make me new
With every season’s change” (Nichole Nordemon, “Every Season”)
Even during this season of death, God had a purpose. It’s been six years since then, and I can’t honestly tell you what that purpose was. But I do know that he’s slowly thawing the hearts of my family members. Some off us have already experienced the joy of spring, while others are still dwelling in a time of darkness.
Understanding why God would allow such things to occur is beyond us. It pains me to see all of this suffering.
This beautiful afternoon on the winter beach reminded me of King David’s words in Psalm 30:5, “weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” Morning always follows night. Spring always follows Winter. Sometimes these winters of life feel like they last for years. Take heart, Spring will come.
My first close experiences with death happened in college. In the space of a few months I lost two of my grandparents. My family has never quite been the same since. Grief caused pain and rifts that have yet to be completely healed. There was so much pain and doubt during this dark time. I was confused and hurt by everything that was happening. I wondered if my family would ever be happy again. But God was working even then. He was calling me to trust in him that
“What was frozen through is newly purposed
Turning all things green
So it is with You
And how you make me new
With every season’s change” (Nichole Nordemon, “Every Season”)
Even during this season of death, God had a purpose. It’s been six years since then, and I can’t honestly tell you what that purpose was. But I do know that he’s slowly thawing the hearts of my family members. Some off us have already experienced the joy of spring, while others are still dwelling in a time of darkness.
Understanding why God would allow such things to occur is beyond us. It pains me to see all of this suffering.
This beautiful afternoon on the winter beach reminded me of King David’s words in Psalm 30:5, “weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” Morning always follows night. Spring always follows Winter. Sometimes these winters of life feel like they last for years. Take heart, Spring will come.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Love is... not self-seeking
1 Cor. 13:5 “it is not self-seeking”
This April has been an eventful one. At the beginning of the month my husband and I packed up our belongings and moved across the country. I love our new little place, and have been enjoying setting up house once again. At the same time, it’s been tough without friends or family close by. My husband truly is my only friend within a hundred miles. I’m depending on him like never before to fill all of the relationship gaps in my life. In 1 Corinthian 13:5, Paul tells us that love is not “self-seeking,” but I have to admit that that is exactly how I am from time to time. When my husband gets home from work at the end of the day, I want him to listen to me and get things done around the house. I want him to do the things “I” want him to do. I’m not necessarily putting his needs before my own. But putting his needs first is exactly what unselfish love looks like. As Philippians 2:3 says, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.”
This is what love is.
Prayer: Lord, help me to love unselfishly today. Reveal areas of my life that need changing, so that I can love those in my life whole-heartedly.
This April has been an eventful one. At the beginning of the month my husband and I packed up our belongings and moved across the country. I love our new little place, and have been enjoying setting up house once again. At the same time, it’s been tough without friends or family close by. My husband truly is my only friend within a hundred miles. I’m depending on him like never before to fill all of the relationship gaps in my life. In 1 Corinthian 13:5, Paul tells us that love is not “self-seeking,” but I have to admit that that is exactly how I am from time to time. When my husband gets home from work at the end of the day, I want him to listen to me and get things done around the house. I want him to do the things “I” want him to do. I’m not necessarily putting his needs before my own. But putting his needs first is exactly what unselfish love looks like. As Philippians 2:3 says, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.”
This is what love is.
Prayer: Lord, help me to love unselfishly today. Reveal areas of my life that need changing, so that I can love those in my life whole-heartedly.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Love is... not rude
1 Cor. 13:5 “It is not rude”
It's hard to believe that seven months have passed since I married the love of my life. Overall they have been months of newlywed bliss. On most days life seems perfect. I can say that we really are one of those almost sickly happy couples.
At the same time, we are anything from perfect. When we're tired and cross, the less than beautiful sides of our personalities come out. When we're both tired, we become sharp with each other. And so tempers flair, things are not thought through, and we are out to deliberately hurt each other. We're discourteous, self-serving, and hurtful all rolled in one. We are rude instead of loving. These are the moments when I sometimes need to take stock and consider how I'm treating this most important person in my life.
Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 13:5 that love is "not rude." Instead, it's considerate and makes rooms for faults on those not-so-perfect days. This is an area I need to improve on, how about you?
It's hard to believe that seven months have passed since I married the love of my life. Overall they have been months of newlywed bliss. On most days life seems perfect. I can say that we really are one of those almost sickly happy couples.
At the same time, we are anything from perfect. When we're tired and cross, the less than beautiful sides of our personalities come out. When we're both tired, we become sharp with each other. And so tempers flair, things are not thought through, and we are out to deliberately hurt each other. We're discourteous, self-serving, and hurtful all rolled in one. We are rude instead of loving. These are the moments when I sometimes need to take stock and consider how I'm treating this most important person in my life.
Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 13:5 that love is "not rude." Instead, it's considerate and makes rooms for faults on those not-so-perfect days. This is an area I need to improve on, how about you?
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Love is... not boastful or proud
1 Cor. 13:4 “it does not boast, it is not proud”
Dear friends, I hope you’ve been enjoying this journey through 1 Corinthians as much as me. The Apostle Paul was intentional in the way he pieced together this letter to the church of Corinth. Imagine reading this letter for the first time, close to two thousands years ago, wow! These words were meant for the church patrons of Corinth, but they still speak so greatly to Christians today as well.
We live in a world of distorted images. Movies, television, and books tell us that love revolves around beauty, money and success. Paul’s “Love Chapter” in 1 Corinthians 13 stands in strong opposition to this. Instead of being consumed with the things of the world, this type of love is self-sacrificial. As we have discovered already, this love is patient, kind, and doesn’t envy. In addition, this love does not boast and is not proud.
I have to admit that I am not completely guilt free in this department. I enjoy success as much as the next girl. I have been known to boast about my own accomplishments, instead of focusing on the needs of those around me. However, God calls us to be humble. I love these verses from Philippians 2:1-4:
"If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if
any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."
It is when I start looking to my “own interests” that I get in trouble. At times I get so preoccupied with my own accomplishments that I forget to consider the needs of others around me. Don’t get me wrong, it’s wonderful to recognize the things you and I have accomplished in Christ Jesus, this just shouldn’t get in the way of loving others. Paul reminds us to “consider others better than [our]selves.” This is one of the best ways to love. What does this look like? For me, this involves listening to my husband a little more, investing in friendships, and truly trying to serve those around me. What would this type of love look like in your life?
Lord Jesus, thank you for the way you unconditionally love me. Help me to consider the needs of others before myself today and every day, amen.
Dear friends, I hope you’ve been enjoying this journey through 1 Corinthians as much as me. The Apostle Paul was intentional in the way he pieced together this letter to the church of Corinth. Imagine reading this letter for the first time, close to two thousands years ago, wow! These words were meant for the church patrons of Corinth, but they still speak so greatly to Christians today as well.
We live in a world of distorted images. Movies, television, and books tell us that love revolves around beauty, money and success. Paul’s “Love Chapter” in 1 Corinthians 13 stands in strong opposition to this. Instead of being consumed with the things of the world, this type of love is self-sacrificial. As we have discovered already, this love is patient, kind, and doesn’t envy. In addition, this love does not boast and is not proud.
I have to admit that I am not completely guilt free in this department. I enjoy success as much as the next girl. I have been known to boast about my own accomplishments, instead of focusing on the needs of those around me. However, God calls us to be humble. I love these verses from Philippians 2:1-4:
"If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if
any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."
It is when I start looking to my “own interests” that I get in trouble. At times I get so preoccupied with my own accomplishments that I forget to consider the needs of others around me. Don’t get me wrong, it’s wonderful to recognize the things you and I have accomplished in Christ Jesus, this just shouldn’t get in the way of loving others. Paul reminds us to “consider others better than [our]selves.” This is one of the best ways to love. What does this look like? For me, this involves listening to my husband a little more, investing in friendships, and truly trying to serve those around me. What would this type of love look like in your life?
Lord Jesus, thank you for the way you unconditionally love me. Help me to consider the needs of others before myself today and every day, amen.
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