Love Behaves Admirably

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude.  It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things endures all thing.” –I Corinthians 13:4-7 (ESV).

This passage in Paul speaks of love between individuals and what constitutes genuine, responsible love.  It is almost as if he is stating in different terms, and relating his teaching to love, the fruits of the spirit he gives in Galatians 5:22-23 which we noted in yesterday’s devotional:  “The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”  In teaching how those who love should behave admirably, Paul gives double adjectives:  they act with patience and kindness (synonyms long-suffering and consideration);  they do not envy or boast (are not jealous or braggardly); they are not arrogant or rude (are not haughty or disrespectful).  He continues with listing negative behavior uncharacteristic of one who loves another:  “does not insist on its own way.” Positive behavior that replaces this action is love considers the other’s point of view.  Then the double adjective again:  “is not irritable or resentful;”  on the positive side, love is even-tempered and good-natured.  Then Paul gives the negative action: “does not rejoice in wrongdoing,”  and follows it by a positive action engendered by love:  “rejoices with the truth.”  The last four statements about how those who love behave are positive actions, but may need a bit of explanation.  “Love bears all things” is seen as facing circumstances, whatever they are, without “coming apart” but remaining level-headed and enduring through hardships.  “Believes all things” is a bit harder to arrive at the true meaning.  Are we to believe everything we hear?  Certainly not.  A clearer translation of the Greek is to not be suspicious of everything but to put the best construction on what is heard, to weigh, scrutinize and come to a valid conclusion.  A good measure is to weigh by the scale of God’s Word.  What does it teach?“Hopes all things” is another way of saying keep faith alive, ‘trust and obey.’  Love “endures all things” does not give up.  These are some cogent, strong teachings about love and our striving to reach these levels of maturity in our love for others is an ongoing goal.

To illustrate how love behaves admirably, I give you this true story about a six-year old boy named Johnny.  Both his parents died in an accident, and he was about to be entered into an orphanage.  But just before that happened, his aunt in a far-away place who had not been able to come to his parents’ funerals sent her servant for Johnny.  On the long ride, Johnny asked the servant if his aunt would love him, if she would be ready for him.  Old Jason assured young John, “Oh, yes.  Your aunt is a good woman.  You are about to fall into good hands.”  When they arrived at Johnny’s aunt’s house, she met them and held out her arms, embracing Johnny.  She showed him to a room, all his own, that she had fixed up for him.  Soon Johnny was feeling loved, welcomed and adjusted to life in his aunt’s home.  He went to school and grew up, confident and assured.  He got a college education and a good job.  But John noted that his Aunt Mary was growing old and sickly.  He feared she did not have long on this earth.  He had a talk with her and said, “Aunt Mary, years ago I left my former home as a scared, sorrowful little boy.  When Jason brought me to you, there you stood with outstretched arms.  You cared for me and brought me up in the right way.  I felt safe in my own room and I felt loved and welcomed in the home you provided for me.  Now, God is waiting up for you.  The door to the house He prepared for you is open to welcome you.  I know this is true, because I once saw God standing in your doorway with outstretched arms.”  Love behaves itself seemly, and it waits with outstretched arms to welcome those who need a home and love.  Can people see the love of God in you and me as John did in his Aunt Mary? Think on these things.

Love Your Enemies

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.  For He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.  For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have?  Do not even the tax collectors do the same?  And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others?  Do not even the Gentiles do the same?  You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” –Matthew 5:43-48 (ESV).

“Thou shalt love thy neighbor” is found in Leviticus 19:18.  However, nowhere in the Pentateuch is found the teaching, “Thou shalt hate thine enemy.”  In the Psalms, a later sacred writing than the law, hatred for the enemy is expressed.  But Jesus is teaching a new and higher way.  “I say to you, love your enemies; pray for them who persecute you.”  God hates evil, but He still brings many blessings to both.the good and to the evil in what is termed “common grace.” The example used is that the sun shines on both the good and evil, lending necessary light, and the rain falls equally on the just and on the unjust.  These are examples of God’s “common grace” to all.  These represent God’s primary providential action toward mankind.

When I read these verses I am reminded of the statement President Abraham Lincoln made immediately after the Civil War when asked what he planned to do with all the enemies the United States made during the war.  His wise statement was, “We shall make them our friends.”  Unfortunately, because of the assassin’s bullet that killed that great president, he did not live to fulfill his aim in befriending the rebellious southerners.  But eventually his aim was carried out in successive administrations and America learned, in general, how to operate as one nation again.

What more detested class could Jesus have used than the tax collectors to tell his disciples that even those whom they despised loved those who loved them?  This was used for emphasis, for those in the Jewish community who “sold out” to the Romans to collect the dreaded taxes were despised; yet they loved those who loved them.  The transformed life of the believer should show significantly higher love than that of the publicans and sinners.  “”You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”  Did Jesus possibly expect us to measure up to this high standard of love?  Why, then, did he end this section on loving both friend and foe by telling us we should love as our Father in heaven loves?  He is speaking of the perfection of love, and love is the supreme virtue of both God and man.  “And now abides faith, hope and love, but the greatest of these is love” (I Corinthians 13:13).  Scripture is a reflection of God Himself.  And as we follow God’s way, as revealed to us through His word and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we are growing in perfection.  Loving our enemies and praying for them is God’s-way.  The Father loves His enemies and seeks to make them His children.  And we, as His followers, have a definite part in this holy plan and mission for those who are outside the fold of God.  In loving them and being concerned about them, we are following the perfect will of God on their behalf.  Praise be to God!