The Bible offers a different understanding of love than our culture. Jesus said that the greatest form of love is laying your life down for the good of another (John 15:13). God the Father loved the world in this way: sending Jesus to die for our sins (John 3:16). Jesus loved us by giving up his life to die on the cross, even while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8). First Corinthians 13:4-7 lists fifteen characteristics of love:

1. Love is patient.– Long-suffering, perseverant, and unhurried.
2. Love is kind.- Compassionate, polite, and servant-hearted.
3. Love does not envy.– Doesn’t get jealous, compare, or covet.
4. Love is not boastful. Doesn’t brag or self-promote.
5. Love is not arrogant. Doesn’t think too highly of self and isn’t self-absorbed.
6. Love does not dishonor others. Doesn’t mock, humiliate, or treat others as less than they’re worth.
7. Love is not self-seeking.– Doesn’t look for its own interests/desires, but cares about the good of others.
8. Love is not easily-angered.– Is hard to offend and doesn’t get irritated.
9. Love does not keep a record of wrongs.– Is quick to forgive and reconcile, and doesn’t hold a grudge.
10. Love finds no joy in unrighteousness.– Is grieved by the evil and injustice in the world.
11. Love rejoices in the truth.– Desires that which is real and true. Speaks the truth in love.
12. Love bears all things.– Endures without giving up.
13. Love believes all things.– Keeps the faith in good times and bad.
14. Love hopes all things. Has a positive vision of the future regardless of current circumstances.
15. Love endures all things.- Stays and perseveres in the face of hardship.

Twenty percent of the listed characteristics are about enduring hard times (patient, bears, endures). Love endures hard times without becoming bitter or cynical (hopes & believes all things). Love is more focused on others than on self. Love does good to others.

When you look at the list above, how would you grade your love?

Are you patient? Are you kind? Do you get angry easily? Do you tell the truth even when it is hard? Do you get stuck in the comparison game? Is there someone you can’t bring yourself to forgive? How often do you give in to selfish impulses?

These questions aren’t meant to judge or condemn. If you consider love to be the most important thing in life, then wouldn’t you like to know if you were living contrary to love? You have to first recognize that there is a problem before you can grow.

W.W.L.D?

The greatest commandment is to “Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself.” John tells us that if we don’t love others, we aren’t of God, because God is love (1 John 4:8). However, our love often falls short. We get selfish, irritated, and at times give up when things get hard. But the good news is that God is love.

Jesus perfectly embodied 1 Corinthians 13. He was patient and kind. When he was mocked and ridiculed he didn’t fight back. He told the truth. He valued the outcasts in society and associated with the lowly. He paid for our sins and cast them away from us as far is the east is from the west. When we sin and fall short he pursues us.

Not only did God forgive our sins, he also gave us his Holy Spirit, which is a Spirit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). When our natural instinct is to look out for ourselves, the Holy Spirit gives a supernatural ability to look out for others.

When you are trying to decide what to do or how to respond, ask yourself, “What would love do? What action would most embody love?” If you are reviewing a past action, ask, “Was that loving? Did I live out the standard set in 1 Corinthians?” The answers may not always be clear, but the more we ask and strive to do the loving thing, the more we will embody Jesus to a broken world.