Love: Love is patient. Love is kind. I Corinthians 13:4
1 Corinthians 13:4
Jesus: So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He said to him again a second time,
John 21:15-17
“Simon, son of John, do you love Me?
He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?”
Have you ever voiced, “I wish God would just send a bolt of lightning down…?” Usually we say something like this or at least think it when we’ve been hurt deeply or unexpectedly or we are angry over an injustice, maybe even justifiably so. But I know we don’t really want God to zap somebody or a group of somebodies, even if we truly believe it is deserved. How do I know this? Because deep down, we know we are the very ones who deserve that lightning bolt. We are the ones who deserve death and the penalty of separation from God. We are the ones who deserve to pay the price of our own sin debt on the cross. We deserve it, but Jesus paid it all!
Every day that grouchy old neighbor wakes up to a new morning is another day he is not given what he deserves and therefore is given another opportunity to accept what Jesus did. Every moment the unsaved, wayward child spends on the streets is another moment they will not get what they deserve, and it is another moment they have to accept what Jesus did. Every hour the religious zealot beats his drum to ward off evil spirits is another hour he is not given what he deserves and is given another hour to hear the Good News of what Jesus did.
Every minute of every hour of every day we fail our Lord and sin against His holiness is a day to remember we deserve death. But because of what Jesus did, because He so loved us, and because He called us onto Himself, we won’t get what we deserve. There is nothing more patient or kind than Jesus on the cross and God the Father waiting for us to come. Nor is there any better reason to extend that loving patience and kindness to everyone around us.
Love: Love is not jealous. Love does not brag and is not arrogant.
1 Corinthians 13:4
Jesus: Hearing this, the ten began to feel indignant with James and John. Calling them to Himself, Jesus said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them. But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all.
Mark 10:42-44
Did you catch the beginning of Mark 10:42? The other ten disciples began to feel…something. In this case, they were a bit displeased with James and John that they would even ask Jesus if they could sit on His right and His left. And what if Jesus had granted their request? Was a little jealousy, maybe a bit of arrogance, hidden underneath their indignation? Probably, otherwise Jesus wouldn’t have instructed them in the last being first lesson.
Full blown jealousy and arrogance don’t just happen. They begin with just a little nudge. We may not even notice it at first. In fact, what pours out of our mouths and expressions may not even look like jealousy. We appear sad, frustrated, hurt, defeated, or maybe a tad bit indignant.
But jealous? No!
We can hide our arrogance well, too. We are self-reliant, sure of ourselves, confident. But arrogant? Come on! We are mature Christians. He supplies all we need. We know all our abilities come from Him. We would never be jealous. Arrogance isn’t even in our mature Christian vocabulary.
Oh, really?
Is that why we long to be first in line just once? Is that why we pause before we can congratulate our friend’s success? Couldn’t we be the one to get the promotion, the award, the pat on the back, the raise? And, of course, we can’t help it if everything we try to do comes out successful. No! No! We aren’t jealous and we certainly aren’t arrogant. We are simply always hopeful and wishful. There’s nothing wrong with dreaming. We simply are determined to be the very best, to pull ourselves up and be all that we can be.
One Another Living 