What Is Love?
I grew up learning that 1 Corinthians 13 is “the love chapter.”
A few months ago, I sat on my bed with my eyes squinting as they glazed over the text for the twentieth time. How could I have missed this?!
I felt really convicted.
I scanned over the verses a few times during church, I heard it at weddings, but I never saw the point in paying attention to it. I figured a chapter on love was for people who were in a relationship or married. Since I was neither of those things, it had nothing to do with me. I thought I would save studying it for a time when I would need it.
Somehow, in my 20 years of living, I missed out on one of the most important passages in the Bible. These verses were not written exclusively for someone in a romantic relationship. These verses were written inclusively for anyone in ANY kind of relationship. This is a passage about what it looks like to truly love people- not selfishly but selflessly.
1 Corinthians 13 is a model of what it looks like to love people like Jesus.
To love people like Jesus means to be kind. It’s knowing people are different than me and loving them because of it, not in spite of it. I sometimes fail to recognize that the person next to me has different struggles than I do.
When I find myself getting annoyed because someone isn’t doing things the way I would, it’s a wake-up call that everyone has different strengths and weaknesses. Where I’m weak, someone else is strong and vice versa. We can’t operate the same or we wouldn’t be the uniquely made individuals God created us to be.
God intentionally designed us to work collaboratively because we have different talents. When I choose to accept that people think and act differently than I do, I can love them better. I see the beauty in difference.
To love people like Jesus means to not be easily angered. It’s meeting people where they are, not where I want them to be. People get on our nerves. People frustrate us. We can’t control other’s actions, but we can control our reactions.
I have to seek understanding where it’s needed. When I think about what I say before I say it, I have time to catch where I may be in the wrong. I can also catch where my words are spoken in anger, not in love; and that will never lead to the outcome I want. I want to understand others.
To love people like Jesus means keeping no record of wrongs. It’s giving grace when I would rather give nothing. We unconsciously set standards for people based on what we desire to happen. When they do us wrong, we tend to remember it far longer than we should. This would be loving people with conditions, which is not how true love should operate.
I need to guard my heart against wanting revenge because praying for people is more important. People make mistakes. I make mistakes. And God still gives grace when I ask for it so I need to give others the same.
To love people like Jesus means to not be self-seeking. It’s celebrating people for who they are not what they can do for me. Love isn’t based on material things or what we feel in the moment. Love is intentionally serving another person even if they have nothing to offer.
It’s being selfless, kind and compassionate to someone because of who they are, not what they can give you.
I want to love people like Jesus because I want my life to be a living example of what Christ has done for me. He stands by me; He walks with me; He comforts me; and He protects me.
Loving people like Jesus is loving people different than me, understanding them before I get upset, meeting people where they are, giving grace and putting others before myself. Where I fall short, He sustains. I love because of His love for me.
His love never fails.
Loving people like Jesus often looks opposite from the love my human nature wants to give people- or sometimes fails to give. Where I tend to give love conditionally, God gives love unconditionally.
And sometimes loving people in these ways is hard. It’s really hard when I’m busy, I’m annoyed, or I just can’t understand where someone else is coming from. That’s why I have to change the way I see people to the way Jesus looks at me: an imperfect person who messes up and needs His grace.
We are all undeserving of Jesus’s love yet He so graciously gives it to us. I need to love people like that… daily!
Love should be at the root of all things we do. If we serve in big ways or do good things but don’t have love, we have nothing.
The very foundation of how we should live is founded on love. When we walk daily with the Lord, He shows us love we so graciously need to give others. When we seek Him, we purposefully love people the 1 Corinthians 13 way.
“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. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Challenge: Strive to put your name where it says “love” in 1 Corinthians 13. Strive to give this kind of love to everyone you meet this week!
2 Comments
Ginger Houck
Ashtyn, I cannot get over how young you are, your knowledge is far beyond your years. I love your.posts and get so much from them. I went back and did as you suggested and put my name in place of love. Very moving. You are truly a child of God. Love you. Ginger.
Karan
Such a hard thing to do. But, I hope I will love like Jesus.