I Corinthians 13

There are some verses in scriptures that can speak to us at different steps along our life journey. And there are a few complete chapters in the Bible that demand our attention as we live our lives in faith. One such chapter is the thirteenth chapter of Pauls’ first letter to the Corinthian Christians. Paul’s definition of love which dominates the middle portion of this chapter might even be used as an outline for us to live our lives demonstrating God’s love.

 ⁴ This love of which I speak is slow to lose patience—it looks for a way of being constructive. It is not possessive: it is neither anxious to impress nor does it cherish inflated ideas of its own importance.

 ^5-6 Love has good manners and does not pursue selfish advantage. It is not touchy. It does not keep account of evil or gloat over the wickedness of other people. On the contrary, it is glad with all good men when truth prevails.

 ^7-8a Love knows no limit to its endurance, no end to its trust, no fading of its hope; it can outlast anything. It is, in fact, the one thing that still stands when all else has fallen.

 ⁴ This love of which I speak is slow to lose patience—it looks for a way of being constructive. It is not possessive: it is neither anxious to impress nor does it cherish inflated ideas of its own importance.

 ^5-6 Love has good manners and does not pursue selfish advantage. It is not touchy. It does not keep account of evil or gloat over the wickedness of other people. On the contrary, it is glad with all good men when truth prevails.

 ^7-8a Love knows no limit to its endurance, no end to its trust, no fading of its hope; it can outlast anything. It is, in fact, the one thing that still stands when all else has fallen. (I Corinthians 13:4-8 JB Phillips New Testament in Modern English)

If we want to make this a life verse, try inserting your name and see if this is an accurate description of you and your life:

(your name) is slow to lose patience – you look for a way of being constructive.

(your name) is not possessive: he/she is neither anxious to impress nor does he/she cherish inflated ideas of his/her own importance.

(your name) has good manners and does not pursue selfish advantage.

(your name) is not touchy. He/she does not keep account of evil or gloat over the wickedness of other people. On the contrary, (your name) is glad with all good people when truth prevails.

How about trying to live with love, until this verse sounds perfectly normal for you.

Prayer

God, take my life and let it be a reflection of Your love today and each day. Amen.