Last week, I shared the difference between being moral and being Christlike, and the conclusion I reached is that love makes the difference. We can be moral without being loving, but to be Christlike we must love well.
Continuing that idea I encourage you to read I Corinthians 13. It is commonly called "the love chapter". It is used in weddings, and finds a wide audience, yet the apostle Paul wrote I Corinthians 13 so that we would know what love is in the body of Christ.
A few days ago I was reflecting on this chapter with some friends, and two verses stood out to me.
In verse 5, "love does not dishonor others" (NIV 2011). In other translations it is stated, "it (love) is not rude". The idea is that love sees the person before their behavior and honors the person first. When we stand on our moral high ground, unfortunately lots of people become dishonored as we label them by their behavior rather than seeing them for who they are.
Also, in verse 6, "Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth." (NIV 2011) This is a great reminder. Love rejoices with the truth, and never delights in evil. As we honor people for who they are, we must never celebrate our or another's bad behavior. Evil is evil, and we must call it what it is. Evil is the absence of good, and it is never pleasing to God. God's truth is our guide and standard as we live each day this side of heaven.
So what about you? As you read through I Corinthians 13 what stands out to you? I invite you to share your thoughts as we journey together along the Way ...
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