One of my greatest joys is to surrounded by a group of friends that are wise, loving and a joy to be with. Today’s guest blogger offers up an oldie but a goody. You may have done this exercise before, but it’s power is still present in its words. Let this exercise pour over you and be filled with the succinct power. — trey
Love is . . . by Amy Prather
Read: 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.
“Love is patient, love is kind…” You’ve probably read this before or heard it. Go to any Christian wedding and it’s read. Go to any Christian bookstore and it’s there to hang on your wall. You can give it as a wedding present, place it on a calendar, keep it on a bookmark.
Back in the dark ages when the world was young and I was in youth – LOL! – my youth director did a small study on these verses. It rocked me to the core. Twenty-five years later it still resonates in my soul.
Basically, you replace the word “love” with your name. I’ll do it with you. Are you ready?
___________ is patient. Amy is patient. What? Not hardly! If patience is a virtue, then I’m not a very virtuous woman.
___________ is kind. Amy is kind. OK, that one’s not so bad. Most times I’m kind, but what about that person I’ve passed on the street, what about that girl/guy I made fun of in school? Oops! Forgot about that. Guess I don’t score as high as I thought I would.
___________ does not envy. Amy does not envy. Man, another one! I’m not doing so well, maybe the rest will be better.
___________ does not boast; ___________ is not proud. Amy does not boast. Amy is not proud. Well I thought things would get better but not so far.
___________ is not rude. Amy is not rude. This one’s kind of like the one on kind. Most times I do an OK job of this. But what about when people are rude to me/you? Not so easy is it.
___________ is not self-seeking. Amy is not self-seeking. Hello! This one is ugly!
___________ is not easily angered. Amy is not easily angered. Yeah, right, have you been to my house?
___________ keeps no record of wrong doings. Amy keeps no record of wrong doings. Grudges are something that I can pretty much keep at bay. Pretty much. How about you?
___________ does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. Amy does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. I think that I don’t delight in evil – I hope that I don’t – but rejoicing in the truth? What if it’s truth that we don’t want to hear?
___________ always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Amy always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Protects? I protect myself but what about others? Trusts? No. Hopes? No. Perseveres? No.
At the end of this you may be feeling like I do – that I am a hopeless, selfish, neurotic mess.
But here’s the good news. “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8.
That’s it. Despite our impatience, unkindness, enviousness, boastfulness, proudness, rudeness, anger, Christ came to earth to take that away. He died for all our sins. Amazing.
Now go back and substitute the name Jesus where you put yours.
Jesus is kind, Jesus is patient. Jesus does not envy, Jesus does not boast, Jesus is not proud. Jesus is not rude, Jesus is not self-seeking, Jesus is not easily angered, Jesus keeps no record of wrongs. Jesus does not delight in evil, but rejoices in the truth. Jesus always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Jesus never fails.
All these statements are absolutely true. Jesus embodies all these characteristics of love. Jesus was love. He loved us so much that he was willing to die for you and me.
Prayer: Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Amen.
