By: Gideon St Bryce
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5).
Love is most needed and best demonstrated when it is least deserved.
While we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Having this knowledge is a source of comfort for us who believe, and rightfully so. This disclosure was made to inspire hope and confidence in the God of our salvation, but this is not just a motivational phrase; it is a fact, and it is truth.
This truth speaks to the attitude that God, in whose image we were created, has toward us and our challenges and predicaments. It is intended further, to be a model for those of us who claim to be followers of Christ, to love unconditionally, to love not because of, but to love in spite of.
As we examine the verses of 1 Corinthians 13, we get a quick overview of what love look likes. It identifies the indispensability of love to the child of God; you cannot be a child of God and reject your need for and responsibility to love. Love compels us to be patient, to conduct ourselves appropriately, to be kind, to be happy for others’ successes, to be unselfish, to be slow to anger, and to love truth. Love is interested in the best outcome for others even when they are not deserving of the blessing. Love is a God thing.
Essentially, what God modeled, expects and requires of us, is that friend, foe and all in-between will receive love from us, not because they deserve it, but because they need it. How do we know who needs love most? Well, the ones who are furthest from God have the longest journey back, and are therefore the ones needing the most support. Love is what will be the wind under their wings as they journey back.
Where sin abounds, grace is greatest.
