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. 1 Corinthians 13:4-5 (NIV) from Bible Gateway
Affirmation-This scripture is from the great "love chapter." I want to focus on the phrase "not self-seeking." At Christmastime we hear that "it is more blessed to give than to receive," and there is no gift that applies to more than love. John Wesley once said “We should chiefly exercise our love toward those who most shock our way of thinking.” That takes the idea of giving to a new level; we should give the gift of love to people who unsettle us, who we don’t agree with, who we perhaps even quarrel (or worse) with. After all, didn’t Jesus ultimately show love to those who sought to execute Him? Didn’t He give everyone, even those who hated Him, the chance for redemption and salvation through the cross? That’s the kind of love Paul is writing about and that Jesus wants us to attach His name to. The more we embrace the gift of the Holy Spirit, the more we become like Christ and the more we exercise those gifts to others. Sure, we need to be loved, but we also need to love as Jesus loved and continues to love us.
Application-Chose someone who you’ve had cross words with recently and show them some love in an unexpected way, either a kind word, a helping hand, or something that is given with no expectation of a response. Even if it not received well, if your heart is in the right place you will feel blessed by reaching out to them.
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