Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, 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 13:4-7
Many of us have heard this passage before. Perhaps at a wedding, a Sunday at church, a decorative sign on a wall. Whatever it may be, I think this may be one of the most overlooked passages in the Bible. Love in today’s world is not the kind of love the Apostle Paul is describing here. In this chapter of Paul’s letter to the Corinthian church, he is guiding the church body towards a deeper understanding of Christian life. This passage adds to the argument that while spiritual gifts are important, they mean nothing without love. He offers a practical definition of love, which contrasts the self-centeredness keeping the church divided.
Each morning in Swaziland, I stepped into deeper intimacy with the Lord as He filled my cup and met me exactly where I was. I often found myself asking Him for radical transformation in my life. I desired for the Lord to change me from the inside out. To break my heart for what breaks His. To completely rip everything out of me that wasn’t pleasing to Him and let my life be proof that I am a new creation. Each day at the care point, something felt like it was missing. I wanted to be challenged more. I wanted Him to make me uncomfortable. As the weeks passed by, I prayed that I was becoming someone who was unrecognizable from who I was at the beginning of Swazi. However, the newness I prayed for seemed to be lacking.
One morning, as I was finishing my quiet time with the Lord, I came across 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. That’s when it hit me. Love. Love that always hopes. Love that always perseveres. Love that is not self-seeking. I had been so focused on becoming a new person that I had completely missed the whole point. I wasn’t arriving at ministry each day willing to completely lay down my life to love these kids. Instead, I was coming ready to be changed. My mind was so set on the idea that the ministry needed to challenge me or it wouldn’t be fruitful. That if I wasn’t uncomfortable, I wasn’t being stretched and why then was I even there.
Pride. You aren’t aware of it until the Lord completely strips you down of everything you thought you were and guides you into a life fully laid down for Him. That’s where I found myself. I had hoped for others to see the new version of Avery I was becoming. For the people around me to notice the ways I’ve grown. What I didn’t realize is that true growth doesn’t stem from searching for something to gain in every situation, but from altogether losing yourself.
That day and each one that followed, I went to care point with this scripture on my heart. Love. Love. Love. It’s so simple right? Not if it’s not your first priority each and every day. If all I ever accomplish is to show others this radical love that the Lord gives us, I’ve done it all. Because when you pour out all your oil, when your heart posture switches from, “How can I grow today?” to, “How can I love this person well today?” that’s actually where you find yourself. While our whole purpose for being at care point was to love on the kids each day, I found myself being more self centered than ever.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, 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 13:4-7
I don’t think we can read this enough. For the rest of my time in Swazi, I ended my quiet time each morning coming back to this passage. This is the goal. This is what the Lord calls us into with everyone we encounter. Love that seeks to truly know others. Love that strives to offer our whole being up to whoever the Lord puts in our path. Love that is willing to look at others before we consider ourselves. Because that’s what Jesus has done for us. When the Son of God gave up His spirit on the cross, he who lived a perfect life looked at the death we deserved and chose to die it for us.
Surrender isn’t easy, but it’s the path to life. A life with this kind of love. And that’s where I’m running to.
Thank you, Avery for sharing this. Love is definitely the key but not a the world loves – looking for something in return. A pouring out of ones self like Jesus did us what he is calling us to. I am so thankful for who you are and who you are becoming…many hugs! Nana