Characteristics
of Love
TODAY’S
SCRIPTURE
Now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the
greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13, NIV.
TODAY’S
WORD
Spiritual maturity isn’t measured by how long you’ve been
a Christian, how much you know, or how often you go to church. Spiritual
maturity is measured by the way you treat other people. It’s measured by the
love you allow to operate through you. First Corinthians 13 tells us about the
characteristics of love. One characteristic is that it is not rude. That means,
when we are walking in love, we treat other people with courtesy and respect.
Are you courteous to other people? Are you kind to the person at the checkout
counter that may be moving too slowly for you? Are you gentle when you are
driving down the highway and someone cuts you off? Are you patient with your
family and coworkers? These are all ways we show love.
Scripture also tells us that love is patient. It is kind.
It does not envy; it is not proud. It is not rude. Love is not easily angered,
and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love never fails. Notice that these
characteristics don’t have anything to do with feelings. That’s because love is
a choice. You can choose to walk in love toward people even when you don’t feel
like it. Today, make the choice to do what is right. Choose today to show
kindness and be courteous to others. Look for ways to cultivate the greatest
thing in your life—love! As you do, you’ll move forward into the life of
blessing God has in store for you!
PRAYER
FOR TODAY
Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me so that I can
show love to others. Teach me to be patient and kind and treat others the way
You always treat me in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
***
“It is dangerous to be concerned with what others think of you.” (Proverbs 29:25a GN)
It’s difficult to take a stand for God’s truth when you are overly concerned with what people think about you. When we worry about what other people think, we let them control us. We waste a lot of time and energy trying to figure out what other people want us to be. Then, we waste a lot of time and energy trying to become like that rather than just being what God made us to be.
Worrying about what other people think is dangerous because we’re more likely to cave in to criticism. It means we don't always do the right thing; instead, we do the thing that everybody wants us to do. And what everybody wants to do is often the opposite of what God’s truth compels you to do.
We’re also in danger of missing God's best. We're so worried about what other people want us to do that we can't stop to think about what God wants us to do.
Quit trying to please everybody! Remember that nobody can make you feel inferior unless you give him or her permission.
The Apostle Paul says, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31 TEV) This means we can think like this: “God likes me, and I like me; if you don't like me, then you have a problem. If God likes me, who cares that everybody doesn't approve of everything I do?”
Remember, nothing you ever do will make God love you less. Nothing you ever do will make God love you more. He loves you completely right now. That kind of confidence boost should give you the courage you need to take a stand.
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