“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. All the special gifts and powers from God will someday come to an end, but love goes on forever” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).
1. LOVE IS PATIENT. Literally love suffers long, it has a long fuse. When Jesus was wronged, He was patient and silent.
2. LOVE IS KIND. Love is going out of our way to be full of grace toward others.
3. LOVE DOES NOT ENVY. Unconditional love desires the best for others. Our main goal is for our beloved to be all God intends him or her to be.
4. LOVE DOES NOT BOAST. The Greek here implies we do not boast like a "windbag." Jesus never showed off. His greatness is often revealed in what He suppressed, rather than what He did or said.
5. LOVE IS NOT PROUD. God's love is not arrogant. Pride is inflated selfishness. Love is genuine humility.
6. LOVE IS NOT RUDE. It is never inconsiderate or inattentive.
7. LOVE IS NOT SELF-SEEKING. God's love does not grasp for its own rights. This rules out the selfish conditional types of love....the "I love you if", and the "I love you because" loves.
8. LOVE IS NOT EASILY ANGERED. It does not become irritated. It is not touchy. Jesus was never vindictive. He never retaliated when wronged. He never grumbled or had a bad temper. (His temple-cleansing was a controlled and calculated response.)
9. LOVE KEEPS NO RECORD OF WRONGS. God's love forgives and forgets. Jesus came to blot out our sins and remember them no more.
10. LOVE DOES NOT DELIGHT IN EVIL BUT IT REJOICES IN TRUTH. Love is never glad when others do wrong or wrongs happen to others. It does not delight in the weakness of others. It does not gloat or gossip.
11. LOVE ALWAYS TRUSTS. God's love gives the benefit of the doubt. It is loyal, yet not gullible. It is tolerant in judging others.
12. LOVE ALWAYS HOPES. It never takes failure as final. It always looks toward the future, not the past.
13. LOVE ALWAYS PERSEVERES. It endures all. God's love can not be conquered. If we endure with Christ we will reign with Him.
14. LOVE GOES ON FOREVER. LOVE IS ETERNAL. IT NEVER FAILS. It never loses strength. It never leaves its place. It is immovable and indefatigable.
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