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. Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Paul describes love by personifying it with 16 action verbs. Love forbears. It acts mercifully. It does not enviously want what other people have. It does not brag. It does not puff up. It does not act obscenely. It does not demand its own way. It does not strive to get even with others. It does not delight in injustice. It rejoices with truth. It endures anything for the sake of the gospel. It generously believes the best about others rather than being sinfully cynical. It wants others to flourish. It keeps on enduring. It lasts forever.
All of these verbs Paul used to describe love should have made you think about one person. And that one person should be your mother. So as we celebrate this day that we set aside every year to honor mothers let’s remember this about our mother’s love. It is patient. It is kind. It does not envy nor does it boast. It is not proud nor does it dishonor others. It is not self-seeking nor is it easily angered. It keeps no record of wrongs. It does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, it always trusts, it always hopes and it always perseveres.
Today’s Bible Readings:
1 Samuel 2:22-4:22, John 5:24-47, Psalm 106:1-12 and Proverbs 14:30-31