What Love Looks Like

Come Grow Old With Me, The Best Is Yet To Be!
True Love Never Ends

Vince brought home a Sunday School handout a few months ago that I just by chance ran across.
It was an explanation and practical living guide on 1 Corithians 13 for our marriages and family.
I read it and decided I needed to keep it where I could see it.
So I took it.
The words convicted me to the core. I cringed and groaned and "ouched" my way through it and thought about how often I fall oh so short of displaying that type of love to my husband.
I have it written in the back of my Bible now and it has been a source of encouragement and challenge to me ever since.
Encouragement because this love isn't just how we are to love others, it's an example of how Christ loves us.
Challenging because love like this doesn't come easy.

In today's world, in today's marriages...in our homes, in our community, in our churches...this type of love is a high standard not often thought of, let alone aimed for, and far to rarely achieved and practiced.
Love is such a flighty concept in our culture. Shallow. Empty. And all together to easily thrown away.
How many people around us even know what real, true love is?


True love grows with the years.

Far too often, I think it is sought for, thought to be found but left out in the cold when it gets hard. Thus, true love is never obtained. And so the search for it goes on.
What a tragic tale of a society who has left true love behind because it gets hard- finding temporary passions and emotions a sufficient substitute for a short time, no matter how cheap it is, because it just seems like less work.
Love, in it's true form is never shallow, empty and discarded.
It is deep, full and never ending. Committed, faithful and strong.
But yes, it takes work.


1 Corinthians 13- the love chapter- is the true love test.
It calls to the heart to love deeper than it could go on its own.
Honestly, we can only achieve this love through the help of the very One who created love and also commanded this kind of love in the hearts of His believers. He sets a high goal for us and only He can help us reach it.
A love that is portrayed in this manner can only be lived out from a heart that has Christ at its center. If Christ is not King there, these love qualities cannot exist within.

It is not in our human capacity to be characterized by a love like this.
It is a love that goes against every fiber of our natural flesh.

It is completely contrary to the world's viewpoint. It is totally opposite of fleshly thinking.
Those who live by the flesh do not and cannot understand it. They may even resist and mock it, it being so contrary to their heart and mindset. The world just simply doesn't get it.

But for the believer- we are called to more, commanded to be more.
We are to love like Christ. Live the love out like Christ.
His love for us demands that we exemplify His love to others.
We are to let our lives be shaped by it, our attitudes be changed by it, our actions characterized by it, our thoughts purified by it, our words tamed by it, our hearts purified because of it.

The following is the article I stole borrowed from Vince.
I have no idea who wrote it (I'm guessing our pastor?) or where it originated from but it's good stuff.



How To Have A Good Marriage Based On 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8

Love...
Suffers long  Patient, over and over again, no matter how many times they offend or mess up
Kind  merciful, considerate, extends kindness even when it is not deserved
Does not envy Doesn't get jealous "You always get your way" "You always get what you want"
 "We always do what you want to do" "What about me?"
Does not parade itself  not boastful Doesn't say "I told you so"
Not puffed up  Not arrogant or prideful, doesn't think one should be above another or is better than the other
Not rude  unbecoming, doesn't ignore, interrupt, devalue or easily pass off what the other says as unimportant
Does not seek it's own  self centered, insists on your own way "My way is best, do it my way!"
Not easily provoked  angered easily, irritable, never seeks to intentionally hurt. No temper flares when wronged or when disagreed with or annoyed.
Does not think evil  Keeps no record of wrongs, doesn't bring up the past.
"You did this.." "You always..."
Never thinks the worst of the other person.
Does not rejoice in iniquity  Doesn't get happy when the other person does something wrong so you can point a finger and say "You do it too!"
Rejoices in the truth  Takes pleasure in good, encourages each other in righteousness. Always promotes good in your own life and in the life of the other individual.
Bears all things  patiently endures all wrong committed against them. Doesn't try to get even.
Believes all things  Has faith and trust in the other person.
"I believe you can be all God wants you to be and I will help you get there" "I believe our marriage will be better."
Hopes all things  An expectant hope. Expects good will come. Expects good in the other person. Expects good in the marriage. Expects God to work.
"As I become what God wants me to be in our marriage, He will bless our home."
Endures all things  Puts up with all things. Big and small annoyances.
Remains steadfast. Will never leave.
Love them no matter what they do or how they act, because no matter what you do, Christ always loves you.
Side note: Sadly, because of the world we live in, I have to add this. Certainly in the case of physical abuse, it is wise to seek protection and council. That is an entirely different set of circumstances.
Never fails  Never quits. Never gives up on the other.
"I will always love you."
"I will always love God."


For further reading that goes along with this in some ways, read this article. Full of great advice on how to have a more loving marriage.




Still havin' fun living life together.