After being around for close to 4 decades, I am still coming to terms with love in the manner that God prescribes. Just yesterday, I blew my top at the end of a nice family outing because of some disagreement. I am one of those supposedly dormant volcanoes. I can control my temper for a long period of time without bursting. You can even climb atop my head, snap a few pictures, and walk away without the slightest clue that you are standing on top of a live volcano. However, when I do lose it, well, it's like an atomic bomb just landed.
I was angry for the whole evening till this morning, for a whole 14 hours. Angry with my daughters and wife, who happen to form 75% of my household. It was silly of me to be angry with a majority, but then when a volcano erupts, it erupts without thinking, isn't it? I should have known better. No chance of winning, if you ask me. At the end, I still do what I usually do, shake my head, sigh a deep sigh, close the chapter and move on.
The few occasions that I blew my top, I actually regretted deeply, because it just isn't nice and fuzzy when tempers flare. I sometimes wonder why I don't consistently practise the love that God prescribes in 1 Corinthians 13. Maybe it's because I've taken it for granted. I guess it's time to revisit this. Let's dissect it and see what it means. It may save us from further heartaches.
What is LOVE? The answer, according to 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
- Love is patient: that means wait, wait and wait; forgive, forgive, and forgive.
- love is kind: that means acts of unconditional goodness.
- It does not envy: not saying "why you can and I cannot?".
- it does not boast: another way of saying "Don't belittle another".
- it is not proud: see above. In other words, humble yourself until you cannot go any lower.
- It is not rude: treat each other with respect, don't yell or stare.
- it is not self-seeking: selfless attitude.
- it is not easily angered: even if you are slapped left-right, up-down, stay cool.
- it keeps no record of wrongs: forget the unhappy stuff; remember only the happy ones.
- Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth: Do good and tell the truth, even if it hurts.
- It always protects: Like a mother hen shields her chicken little.
- always trusts: Believe, not suspect.
- always hopes: be forward-looking, not historical.
- always perseveres: press on, work hard, do anything but give up, because
- Love never fails
Well, I needed to be reminded of that.
May God bless you,
Thomas
1 comment:
*smile* hey... just keep your eyes on Jesus... He knows our imperfections that's why He being perfect became our sacrificial Lamb... Just keep striving to be more like Him each day... =) U can do it with His help and strength. I'm sure of it! =)
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