02/27/2008
1 Corinthians 13:4 - 7 (HCSB)
4 Love is patient; love is kind. Love does not envy; is not boastful; is not conceited; 5 does not act improperly; is not selfish; is not provoked; does not keep a record of wrongs; 6 finds no joy in unrighteousness, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
In the mid 1980s a movie was produced in which John Goodman played a lounge singer, Ralph, who by a stroke of bad luck, became the only living heir to the British throne. The movie, “King Ralph”, portrays the struggles of Ralph as he is obligated to shift his thinking from lounge singer to monarch.
In the same way, we are adopted from a life ruled by sin to a life freed from sin. Our salvation does not come because we earn it, but rather, as children of a new family, we should strive to take on the character of our new Father.
Chapter 13 of I Corinthians is called “The Love Chapter” because Paul speaks of all the various virtues of love. This chapter is often quoted at weddings, and even in secular settings.
But keep in mind that Paul is instructing Christians that our Heavenly Father created us, and provided a redeemer for us out of His great love. He provided a way that we could be reconciled to Him and all this is because of a Love for us that we can scarce understand. Yet we should strive to imitate that love, not to earn any position, but to demonstrate our gratitude to God. As we grow spiritually, we should continually look for ways to shift our thinking from worldly ideas to Godly ideas.
Love is the most basic action we can demonstrate. Start there, how can you show love for those around you? Rather than react as the world would expect, try to demonstrate Godly love at every opportunity.
Jeff Justus
Cleff Publishing
www.cleffpublishing.com
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