5/9/10 1 Corinthians 13-14
Love is Not Provoked
Chapter 13 is the famous chapter on Love. There is so much in this passages that helps us understand if we truly love or our love is a superficial façade. When love is absent there is a deficiency in ourselves or others of the qualities that we desire for others to have when dealing with us. The question is, are we displaying these qualities of love toward others? Can we actually be convicted of loving others?
See, love does not just operate when things go your way and others treat you the way you desire to be treated. Many times when I tell my children “no” such as they cannot have ice cream for breakfast. They sometimes will respond “You are being mean” or in other words you don’t love me because I am not getting what I want. Love is steady even when others retaliate base on your actions or decisions. When we are injured by others words we are not to retaliate.
Love does not envy in what others have, but rather rejoices. Envy has a close brother, boasting. Envy desires what others have and wishes they did not have it. Boasting desires to let others know what you have and causing them to desire it.
The characteristic of love that grabbed my attention this time was love “is not provoked” or “easily angered” or “irritable or resentful.” There seems to be many people who today are easily angered over some minor things. Some are provoked when they are cut off in traffic even if the other driver made a simple mistake. There are numerous stories where one neighbor becomes irritated at another neighbor like installing a privacy fence. Within our own family relationships we can easily be angered at our spouse, children, or parents. Sometimes within the church we will hide our anger under a certain level of respectability, but those who know us best, hear and see the anger we have toward one another.
When we see this behavior in ourselves or in others we must recognize there is a heart problem of love. Most significantly, this type reaction to circumstances is evidence that a person either has no relationship with God, or their relationship with God is not healthy. The answer is not simply that we must change, but that we spend time with the One who is able to warm our hearts to what true love is. So today if there are any of these areas in chapter 13 that you recognize in your thoughts, actions, or behavior the first step is to get alone with the One who is Love, God himself.
Prayer: Father, You are Love. Now, for me to demonstrate your love as described in this passage it is important that I spend time with you learning how to love You, myself, and others. Instruct me to be a man that loves when others wrong me or those who are close to me. Lord, I do understand love to be permissive by giving others what they want or by not taking action when people take advantage or injure others. I ask for your love and with that a discernment, which will help me navigate through difficult circumstances that allows your love to be seen and desired. Father, where I have been “provoked” forgive me. Transform my mind to be the mind of Christ, who even when he was severely mistreated he did not retaliate, but loved those who opposed him, in His name I ask this. Amen.