[Love] suffereth long, and is kind; [love] envieth not; [love] vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. [Love] never faileth....Many people profess love for other people and for all kind of things. But our natural human love is different from the God-kind of love. Studying First Corinthians 13, I want to briefly look at the "characteristics of the God-kind of love so we can learn how to live this way on a daily basis.
(1 Cor. 13:4-8)
Living First Corinthians 13 isn't easy. Often, the "love choice" contradicts the choices we would naturally make in a given situation. For example, when a fellow Christian stumbles in sin, it's difficult for us to keep our mouths shut about it. The natural tendency is to expose the wrongdoing, often in a critical and judgmental way. But the Bible tells us that love wouldn't do that.
Galatians 6:1 says, "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." The first thing most people want to do when they hear of someone being overtaken in a fault is to reach for the telephone. They don't want to cover that fault with love and restore the individual; they want to talk about him and his fault.
And in their next breath, they confess, "I believe I receive my healing" (or some other thing they need). But their faith isn't going to work! They don't have love working in their lives, and faith works by love (Gal. 5:6). If we don't operate in the fullness of love, our faith won't operate to its fullest capacity.
First Peter 4:8 says love covers a multitude of sins. If we tell of the evil someone has done, or we criticize, judge, condemn, or murmur against him, we prove we're not walking in love. Why? Because love covers; love is kind.
Some people think God has given them "the gift of exposing." Our job isn't to reveal other people's sins. Our concern should be with our own sin, to confess and forsake our sin before the Lord (Prov. 28:13; 1 John 1:9).
Often, we want to use love to cover our own wrongdoings, but we want to expose someone else's. We rationalize by saying, "Oh, I'm not condemning So-and-so; I'm merely making an observation." Then later on, we might make a confession of "faith" saying, "The Lord will meet all my needs." Well, we might as well find some way to meet our own needs, because we just cut the supply line between God and us. We violated the law of love.
First Corinthians 13 tells us that love "suffereth long, and is kind" (v. 4). Love works by being kind even under long, continued suffering brought on by someone else. I don't mean suffering or disease brought your way by the devil. I mean suffering caused by other people.
The way of human nature is to fight back, to say or do something to hurt that person in return, but that is not the way of love. If I am to maintain my faith walk, I must put down my carnal nature. I must let God's love dominate me and dictate my actions. I can make confessions, quote the Bible, and even fast and pray, but I still won't benefit if I'm not walking in love.
The Bible says faith works by love. If we're not walking in love, our faith won't work!
"Love envieth not...." Love does not desire the position, honor, power, favor, or blessings that belong to others. God's love doesn't get upset when other people receive good things. Instead, it gets excited! It rejoices. This may be opposite of the way the world reacts, but the God-kind of love rejoices when others are blessed.
This kind of love does not envy, and this is the kind of love we must have if our faith is to work.
"Love is not puffed up...." Love is not arrogant or proud. It doesn't think, Why did the boss promote him instead of me? I've been around longer. I've paid my dues. I've got more education and better ideas.
No , love says, "I'll support my coworker in his new position. I'll work hard to make him look good. I'll share my ideas and help him succeed." The problem with human nature is that people don't want to share their ideas because they want to get all the credit themselves.
Philippians 2:3 says, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves" (NIV).
Romans 12:3 tells us not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought. Many people in high places have been brought low because they thought too highly of themselves and acted out of selfish ambition or pride.
When these people fell, others have said, "The Lord had to take everything away from them so He could work out something in their lives." No, that is not what happened. Not walking in love opens the door for the devil. The enemy comes in and wreaks havoc. It's the devil who steals, kills, and destroys (John 10:10), and he's given the opportunity to do so when we don't walk in love.
"Love seeketh not her own...." Love isn't interested in "me, me, me." Romans 12:10 tells us, "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another." When we get so busy preferring everyone else and unselfishly helping them obtain blessings that we forget about ourselves, that's when we will find honor, success, and promotion for ourselves.
It is all too easy to seek our own. It's easy to step on people while climbing the ladder of success. It's easy to make other people look bad so we can look good. It's easy to sing our own praises. It's easy to look out for number one. But love does not seek her own. Walking in love may not be the easy way, but it's the right way, the best way, and the God way!
"Love is not easily provoked...." Love is not easily angered or offended. Psalm 119:165 says, "Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them." The words "offend" and "provoke" are interchangeable. Are you easily angered? Easily offended? If so, start to let the love of God dominate you.
"Love thinketh no evil...." Love covers sin and will not speak of it. It refuses to even think about it. Sometimes you can't help what you overhear, but you can refuse to repeat it or think about it. Cast it out of your mind. Love thinks on the true, the good, and the lovely (Phil. 4:8).
God's Word tells us what to think about, so don't entertain bad thoughts about anyone. It will hinder your love, which will in turn hinder your faith, and this will keep you from receiving from God.
Do you wonder why your faith isn't working the way you want it to work? Check up on your love walk. Do you wonder why your prayers aren't being answered? Check up on your love walk.
Let's purpose in our heart to live First Corinthians 13 on a daily basis, obeying the Lord's instruction to love Him and others, every day of the year.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Kenneth W. Hagin, President of Kenneth Hagin Ministries and pastor of RHEMA Bible Church, ministers around the world. Known for calling the Body of Christ to steadfast faith, he seizes every ministry opportunity to impart an attitude of “I cannot be defeated, and I will not quit.”
