Evaluation of Love

In three days, my oldest son and his fiancée will exchange vows and enter into the God-ordained covenant of marriage. They, my wife and I, the bride's parents, and many more family members and friends are thrilled for the day to arrive.
 
A little over two weeks ago, as I continued my sermon series through the letter to the Ephesians, I preached about the gift of marriage. As I did so, I thought about the thirty years of marriage my wife and I have shared along with the upcoming wedding of my son and his fiancée.
 
It is such a gift to have access to and guidance from two-thousand-year-old words that Paul, a single adult, wrote guided by the Spirit of God. God’s words in Scripture are timeless and timely. Paul wrote many of them.
 
Some of Paul’s most beautiful words are found in his first letter addressed to Christians in Corinth. They speak to love.

1 Corinthians 13:1-8a (NIV)
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
 
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
 
Love never fails.

When meeting with engaged couples in pre-marriage counseling sessions, I read and discuss these verses with them. I ask them to “grade” themselves (not each other!) on how well they are loving according to this scriptural definition.

• How kind am I?
• How patient (longsuffering) am I?
• Do I keep a record of wrongs?
• Am I easily angered?
• Etc.

 
May I suggest that you grade yourself today? Whether you are married or not, the self-evaluation is worth your time. After all, Paul wrote those words without specifying an audience; his words were (are) to all believers – male, female, single, married, old, young.
 
You and those with whom you do life will benefit from a 1 Corinthians 13 based love evaluation.

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1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

#ordinarylives