Take some time and read I Cor. 13:1-7 about love. I don't mean from your memory but a sincere effort to think about what is being said about love. Put some serious thought about your practice of love. We aren't speaking of the "feely, touchy" type of love but a sacrificing love that might even cost you!
One part of love is that it "bears all things." (v.7) The word "bears" literally means "to cover." When we speak of a roof on a house, it covers and protects us. That's a good illustration of real love. Instead of exposing, love "covers" and helps. Over the years I have heard many a wife freely speak about the faults of their husband. Other women standing around and the wife just speaks of his failures or habits, without any concern how it might affect him (or the attitudes of the others listening). People do not realize when you speak openly about another that you might be setting some attitudes that will be etched in the mind of those listening. I am not picking on women here but rarely have I heard husbands running down their wives. Love, the love of God does not do that! Love is a powerful motive and the motive behind love is to help someone down the right path. We cannot make choices for people and decide for them if they are going to follow the Lord Jesus Christ or not. What we can do is be the kind of people that we have been made in Christ Jesus trying to bring others into a living, loving relationship with Him and that takes love! And love "bears, covers and protects" those struggling!
Sometimes I wonder if we really have the same heart as the Lord. Do we really want to see others saved, especially those in our family? God is working on saving people. If God is not trying to free people from the power of sin and death, then He is not working on us either! We need to realize what He has done for us (and continually working on us), He is trying to do for others. We need to take His love and use it to help others make it! Look at your situation or home. You might struggle with a mate or another brother or sister in Christ. The struggle is not the issue. Love is the issue and love tries to help by bearing with them. If they are sinning, don't blast them but kindly show them looking to the Lord for your help and strength. Love would do that. Remember, love tries to reconcile and redeem. Isn't that what God does?
1 comment:
So encouraging. Thank you. I wish more of today's preachers had your insight. We NEVER hear this from most of our preachers today.
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