Love is almost impossible . . .

Today’s devotional passage is often read at weddings:

“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 at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.” (1 Corinthians 13:4–8)

The bride and groom are so much ‘in love’ that they might not hear the reading, never mind realize the challenges of loving as the Bible instructs!

The author of the devotional does a good job of describing what 1 Corinthians 13 says using the King James version. It works much the same with my version (and a peek at the original Greek language). Before sharing that, I question if any married couple can love like this when she burns supper for the third time in a week, or he is late home every day for several days, or they are unable to have children, or one of them becomes too friendly with someone else, or becomes chronically ill, or — well, when life happens?

Here is a more detailed description of biblical love:

·         Love is patient. Love is even-tempered while enduring trying circumstances of all kinds.

·         Love is kind. Love is warm-hearted, considerate, humane, gentle and sympathetic, even useful when others are mean, inconsiderate, cold, and impatient.

·         Love does not envy. It does not painfully desire the advantages of another or resent their good fortune.

·         Love does not boast or vaunt itself, bragging and pointing to self in any situation, even if they have risen to some occasion or aced a challenge.

·         Love is not arrogant, or proud, or haughty, or vain about its own accomplishments and desiring glory for anything. That makes it much easier to not boast or vaunt itself!

·         Love is not rude. It does not defy moral and social standards nor treat other people with distain or disrespect.

·         Love does not insist on its own way. Immature children want what they want when they want it, but those who love are concerned that others get what they need.

·         Love is not irritable. Love does not become incited or stirred up with emotions, feelings, or reactions when provoked. It does not get upset over what others do. This covers everything from leaving the cap off the toothpaste to far more serious habits and behaviors.

·         Love is not resentful. This word has to do with keeping score. Love never says, ‘You keep doing this’ or ‘this is the tenth time you have forgotten to do this.’ Love does not hold grudges either.

·         Love does not rejoice at wrong doing. Love does not take pleasure when another person fails, falls, makes a mistake, or does something wrong, as if their downfall makes me look better.

·         Love rejoices with the truth. Love is glad when truth is upheld, when reality is faced, when sins are acknowledged and confessed, when the Word of God is shown to be reliable. Love is glad when righteousness prevails.

·         Love bears all things. Love endures both annoyances and difficulties without flying off the handle. It does not yell at the person who cuts them off in traffic.

·         Love believes all things. Love has strong confidence in others, that they will do good, right things. It is not always suspicious or paranoid, expecting the worst, even if the other person has a bad track record.

·         Love hopes all things, expects the best of others, knowing that God can produce goodness in anyone.

·         Love endures all things, faces and withstands all things even the greatest challenges, without falling apart.

·         Love never ends. This kind of love cannot fail or be defeated. It lasts forever.

Not only are these verses describing love in a marriage, this love is expected from all Christians toward others, friends or foes. It is the love of Christ and apart from Him, it is simply impossible.

^^^^^^^^^

Jesus, as I read this list again I am thinking, “this is how You love me” and my selfishness melts into a puddle. How can I remain unloving when the very God of creation, the Lord of all things, has this kind of love toward me? Yes, there is an idealism here that sounds wonderful at weddings and in theory, but with You, it is real and practical. Without You, I know I cannot love like this, but because You are with me, I may fail to love but I also have no excuse.