Faith, like light, should always be simple & unbending; while love, like warmth, should beam forth on every side, & bend to every necessity of our brethren. -- Martin Luther
Last week, I shared part 1 of this blog { The Sweetest Love Is... }.
Our family used this in family worship during the week preceding Valentine's Day.
This is part 2, another very important part of this devotional taken from The Power of True Success, published by the Institute of Basic Life Principles.
{I highly recommend making this book a part of your library, It is an excellent resource in personal/family discipleship.}
Because love is so important & there are many distorted ideas of what it is, God defines exactly what it involves in 1 Corinthians 13.
1. Love Suffereth Long.
It doesn't lose heart. It perseveres with patience & bravely endures misfortunes & troubles. It bears offenses & injuries with joy ... confident that a good reward will come from God's hand.
related qualities: endurance, patience, forgiveness, joyfulness, faith, loyalty, flexibility
2. Love is KIND.
It looks for ways to be useful & acts benevolently. It is easy to be entreated & has the motivation of giving rather than taking. It focuses on people's needs than on their faults.
related qualities: kindness, generosity, availability, creativity, compassion, sensitivity, initiative, gentleness, alertness
3. Love Envieth Not.
It does not boil with desire to have that which belongs to others. It is not possessive of what has been entrusted to it. It is content with basic necessities & rich fellowship with the Lord.
related qualities: gratefulness, contentment, resourcefulness, thriftiness, security
4. Love Vaunteth Not Itself.
It does not boast of its abilities or accomplishments. It does not look for ways to promote itself or extol its virtues with rhetorical embellishments.
related qualities: sincerity, meekness, deference
5. Love Is Not Puffed Up.
It does not cherish exaggerated ideas of i ts own importance. It does not look down on others with contempt or disdain. It is not proud.
related qualities: virtue, humility
6. Love Doth Not Behave Itself Unseemly.
It does not flaunt itself attract attention or to stir up sensual desires in others. It does not act indecently or shamefully. It has good manners.
related qualities: self-control, discretion, responsibility
7. Love Seeketh Not Her Own.
It does not demand its own way. It does not crave things for its own pleasure or profit. It focuses not on itself but on the needs of others. It is willing to lay down its life for the benefit of others.
related qualities: hospitality, dependability
8. Love Is Not Easily Provoked.
It does not get irritated or exasperated. It conquers anger & wrath. It is not quickly excited to rivalry but rather to helping others succeed.
related qualities: honor, cautiousness, punctuality, orderliness
9. Love Thinketh No Evil.
It guards its heart & mind, bringing every thought into the captivity of Christ. It distinguishes between good & evil ... & rejects the evil. It does not retain wrong desires or plans & does not harbor hurtful feelings toward others.
related qualities: obedience, thoroughness, discernment
10. Love Rejoices Not In Iniquity.
It grieves when evil people are promoted & unjust laws are made. It does not secretly desire to carry out the lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, or the prideful goals of life.
related qualities: justice, decisiveness, determination
11. Love Rejoices In The Truth.
It delights in God's Law & meditates on it day & night. It dwells upon thoughts that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, & of a good report. It is eager to share truth with others & rejoices when truth prevails.
related qualities: truthfulness, boldness, persuasiveness, enthusiasm, attentiveness, wisdom
My daily prayer is to LOVE more ... & to demonstrate this kind of love ... the kind that 'beareth all things, believeth, hopeth & endureth all things."
This kind of love WILL outlast anything, because LOVE NEVER FAILS!
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