1 Corinthians 13:4 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, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never ends.
John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
Lust is consumed with self and self satisfaction; love, on the other hand, desires the care, welfare and happiness of the other person. Love is honest and true, enduring (the exact opposite of fragile or fickle), faithful at all times and under all circumstances. The person in lust may or may not be there for you in crisis time, perhaps only showing up if it coincides with their own agenda and purposes; but the person who loves you is always there for you, even at cost to himself. He will do whatever it takes to show his love is real. He is dependable and trustworthy, when in sight, and when no one can see him.
The song below always touches my heart when I hear it. It seems to portray a very proud man struggling to vocalize the fact that he would do all in his power, even to the point of laying down his very life, to care for and protect the one he loves. Here, Eric Clapton (on guitar) and Sting (on vocals) team up together to produce the perfect musical blend. The song is called “It’s Probably Me.”
If the night turned cold
And the stars looked down
And you hug yourself
On the cold cold ground
You wake the morning
In a stranger’s coat
No-one would you see
You ask yourself, ‘Who’d watch for me?’
My only friend, who could it be?
It’s hard to say it
I hate to say it
But it’s probably meWhen your belly’s empty
And the hunger’s so real
And you’re too proud to beg
And too dumb to steal
You search the city
For your only friend
No-one would you see
You ask yourself, Who’ll Watch For Me?’
A solitary voice to speak out and set me free
I hate to say it
I hate to say it
But it’s probably meYou’re not the easiest person I ever got to know
And it’s hard for us both to let our feelings show
Some would say
I should let you go your way
You’ll only make me cry
If there’s one guy, just one guy
Who’d lay down his life for you and die
I hate to say it
I hate to say it
But it’s probably meWhen the world’s gone crazy, and it makes no sense
And there’s only one voice that comes to your defence
And the jury’s out
And your eyes search the room
And one friendly face is all you need to see
If there’s one guy, just one guy
Who’d lay down his life for you and die
I hate to say it
I hate to say it
But it’s probably meI hate to say it
I hate to say
But it’s probably me
I hate to say it
I hate to say
But it’s probably me
I hate to say it
I hate to say
But it’s probably me
It is my prayer that more and more professing Christians actually read 1 Corin 13 and actually realize how deep God’s love is for them. This passage is only a glimpse into the reality of how amazing God’s love is for His children. And yet, it is so sad that this passage is so difficult for people to live by.
I read a Bible Study on 1 Corin 13 once, and the leader asked the people in the group to replace their own names for the word “love” in this Scripture passage. For example: John is kind, John is patient etc etc. It seemed sort of silly at the time, but when I actually did it, and stopped after each attribute and said “Am I really?” it was amazing how God touched my heart and made me realize that there were a few areas in my life that needed to be fixed.
I encourage everyone to try the replacement trick. If there is an area in your life, whether it be a friend, a spouse, or your children, that you cannot honestly say “I am living 1 Cor 13”, please ask for God’s forgiveness, and work diligently at fixing the issue. As God’s children, we are to strive to be more and more like Him in all we do and say. What better way to begin than with God’s example of “Perfect Love”.
Thank you for this post. I keep 1 Cor 13 as a daily reminder of the kind of love that God asks His children to show for others. It’s the greatest way to shine His light in a world filled with darkness.