What Love Actually Looks Like
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil.
1 Corinthians 13:4-5 · KJVIt's easy to forget that 1 Corinthians 13 wasn't written as a wedding reading. Paul wrote it to a church that was fractured by pride, competition, and division. He wasn't describing a wedding-day feeling — he was describing the daily, unglamorous discipline of loving people who annoy you.
Read the list again, slower, and swap "charity" for "love":
- Patient — with the person who's slow to change. - Kind — even when kindness isn't returned. - Not envious — of what someone else has that you don't. - Not proud, not self-seeking — not making every interaction about being right. - Not easily angered — not keeping a running tally of offenses.
None of that is a feeling. It's a set of choices, repeated daily, usually with someone specific in mind — a spouse, a coworker, a parent, a friend who's hard to love right now.
Try this today: pick one item from the list and one person. Practice just that one thing, on purpose, for this one day.
Prayer
Bible Verses for Contentment: What Paul Meant in Philippians 4:11 by 'Learning' to Be Content
Craving peace with what you have? These bible verses for contentment unpack Philippians 4:11 and Paul's hard-won secret to being satisfied.
Bible Verses for Fear: What 'Perfect Love Casts Out Fear' Really Means
Struggling with fear? Discover what 1 John 4:18 teaches about how God's perfect love drives out fear and torment.
Bible Verses for Grief: Finding Comfort in Psalm 34:18 When Your Heart Is Broken
Struggling with grief and loss? Discover the comfort of Psalm 34:18 and how God draws near to the brokenhearted.
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