Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4:8)
It does not say that God loves, or God is loving. It says that God IS LOVE. It is his nature, one of his key attributes.
We spoke the other day about the Fruit of the Spirit being our attempt to take on the nature/attributes of God. Well, this one seems to be the biggie.
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
(1 Corinthians 13:1-7)
I read somewhere that a useful (and scary) test is to try and replace the word “love” with your own name, and see how you make out.
- Sharkbait is patient.
- Sharkbait is kind.
- Sharkbait does not envy.
- Sharkbait does not boast.
- Sharkbait is proud.
- Sharkbait is not rude.
- Sharkbait is not self-seeking.
- Sharkbait is not easily angered.
- Sharkbait does not keep a record of wrongs.
- Sharkbait does not delight in evil.
- Sharkbait rejoices in the truth.
- Sharkbait always protects.
- Sharkbait always trusts.
- Sharkbait always hopes.
- Sharkbait perseveres.
So, how well did you do?
We did that exercise at Women's Prayer Group. I actually burst out laughing at "Helen is not easily angered". Helen is working on it, though! :-)
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