1 Corinthians 13:5 AMPC
[5] It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].
Yesterday, we looked at love from the private and public perspectives. It was made clear that you cannot really understand or explain love outside of the person of love Himself, who is God. Again, it has to be emphasized that love and its opposite cannot be found in the same vessel at the same time, because both are not produced at the same source or sustained by the same supply. Imagine how silly it is to expect to find oranges growing on a maize stalk, without any scientific or human intervention. In the same way, it is not expected that a life that has found God's version of love will also find conceit and pride as a way of life. It is either that life is yet to truly encounter the God of love, or it does not yet fully understand what it now has. God will not demand from me that which He has not first supplied grace for. If He asks for it, He is it, He gives it, and He will sustain it.
You cannot give what you do not have, and you cannot fake it until you make it. This is one reality that cannot be faked, because the fruit of my life will always be revealed by my words, actions, interactions and engagements. I cannot hide who I am, what I am and who I belong to for a long time; that which is in me must flow out of me at some point in time. It is therefore important that I sort out my person, identity and contents, so that I can reflect who God is. If I claim to be His child or His representative, I cannot be anything less than who God has called me. If people see me as rude, I must evaluate my life in light of the revealed truth of God's Word and take necessary steps based on the revealed truth. If I am always insisting on my way being the only way, it means I am still under the influence and control of the old man, whose end is eternal death, as revealed by the truth of God's Word.
Check out the other characteristics that love is NOT or does not do. Always remember that we are speaking of God's version of love, not the other bits we see in movies. God's love in me will not insist on its own rights or its own way, because it is not self-seeking. It is willing to put others over and above itself. Its feelings are not easly hurt, and you do not find it short-tempered and easily irritable or very touchy, fretful or resentful. it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. It does not keep a record of the number of times it is offended, because, just like Jesus taught, even if my brother sins against me seventy times seven times, and comes to me for forgiveness, I must give him. There are no old or new scores to settle, because God's love had settled all accounts when the blood was shed. What more csn I ask for? What can I not let go? God has done all these for me; should there be anything too big for me to let go? God's time of favour is here.
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