1 Corinthians 13:4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
I remember a friend once telling me that when she talked with her daughters about relationships, she encouraged them to put the names of the young men they were dating into these verses. If it held true, then that relationship was sound.
1 Corinthians 13:5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
At the time, I thought that was a lovely idea, but this morning, sleep-deprived and grumpy as I am, I wonder if that standard is too high, if it is setting us up for a fall. After all, if I substituted my own name here, I would fail miserably many days: Beth is patient? Beth is not easily angered? I’m definitely not currently living up to this ideal.
1 Corinthians 13:6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
Precious Savior, Thank You that You are love, pure and simple. Thank You that even though we fall short of the mark, You never do. Thank You for loving us as the deeply flawed humans that we are. Amen.
1 Corinthians 13:7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Have a blessed day.