Charity suffereth long, [and] is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in inquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Recently, this passage of Scripture emerged while I was having my quiet time with *Abba. As I reflected upon what love is, I realized that my finite human mind, which has been marred by sin, can never fully comprehend the true meaning of love in its totality. As I sat in prayerful contemplation, it dawned upon me that our Creator is the epitome of love, and that He desires for all of us to not only experience that love, but to then allow Him to love others through us.
Imagine that! Who would have ever thought that a God who is so mighty and sovereign, could have a desire to include someone like me in His grand plan to redeem lost humanity? Well, the thought boggled my mind, and I found myself dissecting and analyzing my human relationships as it relates to this concept of love. Before that moment, I don’t recall ever really critiquing my own attitude towards love, and the impact it can really have on others. Reading and re-reading the Scriptures found in 1 Corinthians 13 really put me in self-examination mode because just when I thought I knew what love was, I came to the conclusion that I was clueless!
During a wedding ceremony, vows are exchanged and promises are made before family, friends, associates, and the entire universe that the two being joined will be committed until death separates them. However, in so many instances, I have seen or heard of divorce and separation in marriages that I thought were rock-solid. Little did I know that love – God’s unchanging love – was not the foundation upon which the relationship was built. As a result, when the sands of time began to shift, and as the turbulent waves of life swept in, the proverbial house was shaken off its foundation and eventually fell down.
If you ever find yourself resenting your mate or children or in-laws, or any one at all, for something they may or may not have done, that perhaps rubbed you the wrong way; if unforgiveness and bitterness have taken hold of your heart; if the stress and burdens of life have you so weighed down that you find it hard to enjoy simple pleasures with those who love and care about you; if you have lost sight of your purpose, and are just living from day to day, then it’s time to see with new eyes. God wants you to see yourself the way He sees you, and then in turn see others through His lens of love. Yes, it’s a difficult task if you try to do it on your own, but with His help, you can accomplish anything for His glory.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I have experienced Your love in so many ways that I really don’t understand. It has been easy to treat others the way they deserve to be treated, but I realize that You are calling me to a higher place in You, and want me to see others with different eyes. Help me to know that as I surrender my stubborn will that You will empower me to change my attitude and be a channel of Your love and peace to those around me, I humbly pray. Amen!
Written by: Shauna L. Menns
