[Love] bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
1 Corinthians 13:7
I don't have any great wit or charming story to go along with today's scripture reading. Today's selection hits me hard for some reason and I don't know how to talk about it but to go directly into the text.
This verse is a part of the larger "love" verses often used in weddings. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 are a beautiful piece of prose, these statement are so much larger than a singular marriage. These statements get down to the nitty gritty of what it means to be a Christian and how to live out our faith in this world.
"Love is patient, love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable of resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. "
Paul is describing love as an action. The church in Corinth to whom Paul is writing has not been acting in loving ways. He's pointing out to them what they've been missing and is trying to steer them back on the right track. We would do well to take Paul's advice as well.
As I watch the events in Baltimore unfold, this passage draws me into thoughts of how little we actually live out love. Love is a verb in this context. It is an action. It means we do something. Love means we stand up for justice. Love means we fight oppression. This kind of love means we love as God loves.
This kind of love, agape, requires us to be fully alive and engaged in our world. This is real love.
My heart hurts right now for all the unloving actions I see in the world. Are we willing to carry out the kind of love Paul describes in this letter?
Blessings,
Lisa
This verse is a part of the larger "love" verses often used in weddings. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 are a beautiful piece of prose, these statement are so much larger than a singular marriage. These statements get down to the nitty gritty of what it means to be a Christian and how to live out our faith in this world.
"Love is patient, love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable of resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. "
Paul is describing love as an action. The church in Corinth to whom Paul is writing has not been acting in loving ways. He's pointing out to them what they've been missing and is trying to steer them back on the right track. We would do well to take Paul's advice as well.
As I watch the events in Baltimore unfold, this passage draws me into thoughts of how little we actually live out love. Love is a verb in this context. It is an action. It means we do something. Love means we stand up for justice. Love means we fight oppression. This kind of love means we love as God loves.
This kind of love, agape, requires us to be fully alive and engaged in our world. This is real love.
My heart hurts right now for all the unloving actions I see in the world. Are we willing to carry out the kind of love Paul describes in this letter?
Blessings,
Lisa
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