Our scripture this morning is 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NASB1995).
Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
In this beautiful passage Paul is at his poetic best, explaining the qualities of love in a human way. In describing the ways of loving behavior, Paul mentions all the ways we fail to love, seeking our own desires rather than the things God wants for us.
In order to follow the example Jesus gave us we are called to bear, believe, hope and endure all things. We must remember that this world is only temporary and that Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us with the Father. That must be our motivation in all things, to love God and one another.
In the opening verses of this chapter Paul tells us that when we do things without love as the driving force, we waste the gift we have been given. Nothing has any value if not done in love. We have been offered salvation; it is up to us to accept the blessing and share it with love.
Gracious God, You are the source of all things and only through Your love do we exist. Help us to be known as Your children by the love we show everyone. Amen.
