“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. Love never fails.” 1Corinthians 13:4-8
Love is not feelings, but
action. Do you love your children, your
spouse, your parents?
Are you patient?
Are you kind?
Run through the list. Does this describe the way you treat the
people that the Lord has put in your life?
We throw up our hands and wonder if we could ever live up to such
standards. Especially when we’re running 10 minutes late to an appointment
while our 3-year-old is squirming and fussing in the car seat because he
refused to “go potty” before you left and has since lifted the ban; and the
12-year-old is informing you that she will be socially wounded for all eternity
because she has to be seen publicly with this shirt on (the only clean one
available as you flew out the door).
In our natural state, patience is
not top of the list, but we do not have natural help. Our help is a super-natural Savior. You see, God knows we NEED super-natural
help. Its only our pride and arrogance
that keeps us trying this technique and that plan to make our flesh behave. Your flesh will never be able to produce the
fruit reserved for God’s Holy Spirit.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and
self-control.” Ephesians 5:22
Come again to the cross and die to
trusting in yourself. Confess your utter
in ability to love, and ask for the Lord Jesus by His mercy and grace to
forgive you and produce in you the fruit of His Spirit.
By the way,
for those that get caught in the trap of self-condemnation: He knew you’d be a failure at loving before
He ever called you into relationship with Him.
That’s why you need a Savior—not just a set of good rules.
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