Reading With the People of God - #6 LOVESample

Memorization Challenge: 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Reading Primer: What Is Love?

Love is among the first few words most Kindergarteners can read or write. They learn to use this word quickly, even though they may not understand it. We hear it used in songs, movies, and commercials; it’s hard not to hear the word love on a given day. However, most of the time, it is used to proclaim a feeling that is easily stirred up, and it can often be exchanged for the word ‘like’.

This is one reason we think God’s love is so complex and can be difficult to grasp. Often, when sharing the gospel, the discussion leads us to question God’s Love. We want it to be easy, but in fact, His love leads us to a place of decision and sacrifice.

In Deuteronomy, we read that love can provide refuge for someone who accidentally harms another person. This requires detailed planning and difficult decisions of forgiveness and obedience.

In the Psalms, we will read a cry for justice and question His protection and mercy, only to finally recognize that God’s love is the constant we can rely upon. I, too, have yelled out to God in my agony only to realize that He lets me have my questions, doubts, and fears only to show me that He is love finally.

So, how can we know and show love? In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul gives us many descriptions of how to demonstrate love, but I find that there is not a single day that I miss the mark on most of those descriptions. The more I strive to show love, the more I recognize God’s love not only for me but also for those around me. It is then that I see how to truly love others.

- Gaylyn Mott, Teacher, Musician, Yarn artist