Join us as we focus each day for nine weeks on a different part of 1 Corinthians 13.
Wednesday: It does not dishonor others, it is not self seeking.
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 1 Corinthians 13:4
Read: 1 Corinthians 13:4
Listen: 1 Corinthians 13
TODAY’S MESSAGE
Paul’s status-seeking audience must have been stunned as they realized they lacked the most important thing—love. Even as they reeled from his words, Paul begins the process of showing them “the most excellent way” (1 Corinthians 12:31b), a life of love. To do this, he understands he needs to change the way they live. He needs to change their daily habits.
He first says that love is “patient,” meaning long-suffering. It is used almost exclusively of being patient with people as opposed to circumstances or events. The Greek culture valued the exact opposite and considered patience a weakness. Love is “kind,” or useful, serving and gracious. It both desires others’ welfare and works for it. It does not “envy,” meaning it doesn’t want what someone else has. It’s not “boastful,” it doesn’t put others down while building us up. It is also not “proud” or arrogant.
It doesn’t take long into our day before we’re challenged with these habits of love. We’re frustrated in the long line at the pharmacy. We find ourselves too busy to be gracious. We’re frustrated when we see on Facebook what others enjoy. Our stories “one-up” the story we just heard. We continually show off what we have and what we’ve done. Love, as Paul says, isn’t any of these.
IN YOUR CHAIR TIME TODAY
Plan how you can begin to practice these habits of love. Look at your schedule for the day and see what you need to start doing. Pick the habit of love that you think you’ll need to practice today and pray for God’s help to do it. Also, don’t forget to check your bookmark and card. We’ve just started on our nine-week journey, so it’s not too late to jump in!
Download a printable PDF of the BTW week here.
