Love: The Litmus Test

I Cor. 13-- the love chapter-- is one of those things that's great to quote and really hard to live. Part of it is hard just because it's HARD to love others effectively. Another reason is that sometimes I equate loving people with having to put up with behavior that's really rather harmful. More on that in a minute.....

Anyway, here is I Cor. 13:1-7 in The Message version of the Bible:

1 If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. 2If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. 3-7If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head,
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.

Okay, I'm decent at doing some of those. I don't give up on people easily. I can put others first. I rarely "fly off the handle." However, I keep score and tend to hold a grudge...unless I feel that the person has apologized "appropriately" (that being my definition). I'm working on that. Now..."puts up with anything...." I think I do that too much....and I don't think that's the best translation there.

Here's verse 7 in the Amplified Bible: "Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]." The difference is subtle, but important, I think. I see it as the distinction between putting up with bad behavior...versus loving someone through that, even if that means drawing limits.

Overall, what I think this passage highlights is the need for a supernatural work of God. I can't love like this on my own. I don't know anyone who can. When I used to work in special ed, changing diapers of 12 year olds, I remember clearly coming to the end of my love and affection for these kids....and realizing that was okay because God has limitless love for them. I prayed that God would give me HIS love for them, and He did. I still pray that a lot, particularly when working with more challenging (& obnoxious!) students.

I need God to give me His love and perspective for the people in my life. Mother Teresa: "People are illogical, unreasonable and self-centered. Love them anyway." It's hard though.....