Mensa Otabil - Love Is Patient and Kind
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This week, we are talking about love, and we’re looking at First Corinthians chapter 13. Paul has told us about actions that we take that supposedly seem to be good, but he says there is no love behind them; then, it’s worthless.
Now, he’s describing to us what true love is, so we start from verse 4. Love suffers long and is kind. Love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up. Now, Paul has told us what we should do; he tells us we should act in love. Now, he gives us the measuring line: how do we measure something to determine whether it is love or not? In verse 4, he starts giving us the tools to measure our actions, and there are two positive things he says that love does and then three negative things he says love does not do.
So, we look at the first two positive things first. He says love suffers long, or love is enduring. Love suffers long; love is patient and stays for a long time and doesn’t give in instantly to anger. So, if you love somebody, you’re going to suffer along with them; you’re going to be long-suffering. If an action is of love, then it has to have long- suffering at the back of it, and then it has to have kindness. Kindness simply means doing things that are good to benefit other people. So, if it is kind and if it is long-suffering, if it is enduring and doesn’t just blow off the top easily, then we’re getting close to what love is.
So, these are the two positive things he says we should: love does. Love suffers long; love is kind. Do you suffer long? Are you kind? Simple questions: am I? These are questions we have to ask ourselves. And then he tells us three things that love is not, and the first thing he says is love does not envy. That means love does not seek to advance its desire above others. Love is not competitive in the sense of trying to better others to their disadvantage. There is value in being competitive, of course; we write exams, and we do things, and we have to compete for our place. But we have to be sure that the desire to even be the best is not driven by trying to put others down.
So, whilst I desire to be the best, I must also desire for others to do well. So, we don’t envy; love does not envy, doesn’t take what is others and claim it for itself. Love is able to celebrate other people and their achievements and their success. People clap for you; you are happy when people are clapping for others; you should be happy too-that’s how it goes. Love does not envy, and then it says love does not parade itself. That means love is not into self-promotion.
Now, this is a big one, because most of the things we do in life, we do for promotion. Let’s face it! I mean, somebody’s doing charity works; they do it for promotion. People are exhibiting a spiritual gift; they do it for promotion; they want to be known. People have faith; they want to be known. Paul says yes, you must have faith and move mountains; you must speak in tongues and you must do your charity work, but don’t let self-promotion be the motive. That’s a tough one!
So, do it, but check the reason why you’re doing it. Love does not parade itself, and then it says love is not puffed up. That means not high- minded, does not think of itself better than everybody else: «I’m the best in the world; there’s none like me.» Of course, it’s good to have a healthy self-esteem, but don’t do it exclusively, thinking nobody else has that self-esteem. So, we are not puffed up and high-minded. Those are ingredients to help you to walk in love.
Let’s pray. Say with me, «Heavenly Father, thank you for your patience towards me. Help me to show patience for others. In Jesus' name, amen and amen.» Well, I’ll catch you again tomorrow. I’m Pastor Mensa Otabil. Shalom, peace, and life to you.