1 Corinthians 13:4-7 English Standard Version

⁴ Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant ⁵ or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; ⁶ it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

This is how love acts. This does not say anything about what happens to the recipient of God’s perfect love. That comment is found in the first epistle of John.

1 John 4:19 English Standard Version (ESV) We love because he first loved us.

His perfect love abiding in us creates a love response. His love in us changes us. We may not have achieved the Oneness of the Trinity but as we grow in Christ and maintain this relationship with our Lord, we will discover how much He actually has changed us from the inside out.

1 Corinthians 2:16 English Standard Version (ESV) “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

A man and wife in a healthy loving relationship will over time begin to say the same thing at the same time under certain circumstances because they have begun to think alike. Having the mind of Christ is much like that if we do what it takes to keep a healthy loving relationship with our Lord.

It takes time to build that kind of relationship and time is on His side. He is patient and kind. We might not start out that way but fostering this loving relationship with our Lord helps us to become patient and kind people.

Each of the attributes of agape love listed in 1 Corinthians 13 is an attribute which can and should be developed in us because of His indwelling love. But it takes time and may be why patience is listed first.

1 Corinthians 16:14 English Standard Version (ESV) Let all that you do be done in love.

Does anyone remember Dudley Do-Right of the Canadian Mounties? What is right, noble, honest and loving has been reduced to a cartoon character. We laugh because he is portrayed as being a clown to get laughs. Allow me to point out that Dudley loved Nell and would do anything to save her. Love led the way.

Now this love spoken of in the opening verse is agape love, God’s perfect love. The last line of yesterday’s blog said to let God’s light shine, this is that light, God’s perfect love. Since it is His love and His light, how can we allow it to shine?

Since the Holy Spirit is God and the Spirit of truth, then the Holy Spirit will lead us in all righteousness by telling us what Jesus has said for us to do. In order for us to allow His light to shine we have to hear from the Holy Spirit, understand what is asked of us and then obey by faith.

These are some relevant lines from Psalm 19; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, Moreover, by them is your servant warned;

If we are told what the truth is in any matter, if we understand what is asked of us, we still have to choose to do the right thing. The warning is conviction for disobedience.

The secret to allowing His light to shine is found in choosing to allow God to love by our obedience of faith.

Do we love the Lord enough to allow Him to make life affirming decisions for us?