You’d think that love was innate if you’ve walked through any store this month. Red and pink, hearts, and chocolate—they’re everywhere. It’s tradition and makes it look like everybody loves at least one somebody somewhere.
But, love isn’t about red cellophane wrapped boxes. It’s not even a warm feeling or that draw to someone. It’s not desire that makes your cheeks blush. And, it’s most definitely not innate to us even though catchy songs and greeting cards say it is. What’s innate to us is love for ourselves; we’re real good at that. In fact, I’m an expert at that. But, love for someone else? That’s something we have to choose and practice because it’s not our nature at all to do that well.
1 Corinthians 13—the love chapter—is there for a reason. It’s to teach us what love looks like because we need to know. If it were natural to us, if we were good at it, the whole list we recognize from cross-stitch samplers and wedding programs would likely be a lot different or not there at all. But, we need the how-to manual here as well as the reminder that we can do the impossible and truly love because He first loved us. After all, His life is the how-to manual. And, because of that love, His love for us, we are able to love even when it’s hard and we just don’t feel like it. And, let’s face it; on any given day, loving my husband and loving my children and my bigger family and my neighbor and sister in Christ and onward seems nearly impossible. Some days, I just plain wanna give up because I feel so inept at it. But, there is grace; thankfully, His grace abounds.
Today, I’m examining my own heart and taking a closer look at the manual, filling in the blanks in my own life. It’s not to give myself a love report card—”Well, I got a D in putting aside jealousy, but I got an A- in intentionally honoring…so…” It’s more of a tool to focus my will so that when I’m faced with the choice to love myself or love another as I am countless times every day, I may actually think and call out a prayer—”Because of your love, I got this.”—and choose to love the way He’s called us to love.
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Because of His love, I can put aside my agenda and be patient with __________.
Because of His love, I can make an effort and be kind to __________.
Because of His love, I can have joy for someone else and put aside jealousy of __________.
Because of His love, I do not need to build myself up and brag about __________.
Because of His love, I can put aside arrogance when it comes to __________.
Because of His love, I can intentionally honor __________.
Because of His love, I do not need to insist on my own way when it comes to __________.
Because of His love, I can choose contentment rather than resentment when it comes to __________.
Because of His love, I will give grace and overlook __________.
Because of His love, I will not keep a mental file cabinet, remembering the wrongs of __________.
Because of His love, I will not take pleasure when I see faults in __________.
Because of His love, I will rejoice when I see goodness and truth growing in __________.
Because of His love, I choose to keep on keeping on and endure hard things for __________.
Because of His love, I choose to believe the impossible for __________.
Because of His love, I choose to not look back when it isn’t helpful but look forward in hope for __________.
